THE Buncrana Youth
Accordion Band were in action at the Fleadh Cheoil
na hEireann in Tullamore at the weekend, but there
was no All Ireland title for the local group this
year.
The band won three All-Ireland titles in four years
from 2004, the year they took the title back to
Buncrana for the first time in 22 years, but despite
finishing third out of the three finalists this time
out, band organiser Siobhan Lynch refused to be
downcast.
“The band did perform well in Tullamore, there is no
doubt about that, but our style didn’t suit the
adjudicators and that happens sometimes. We did very
well to get to the All Ireland final because we had
to come through a tough Ulster qualifying section
this year.”
Thirty-seven band members and three adults travelled
to Offaly at the weekend to take part in the
festival of Competing in the Junior Accordion Band
Section, the band members, aged between 9 and 18,
performed an eleven minute set programme of
traditional Irish music and were judged on three
aspects of their performance; music, drumming and
marching discipline. The competition was won by the
K&S Accordion Band from County Meath.
“It’s been a long season, so we will take a week off
then sit down and draw up a new programme for next
year and begin enrolling new members.”
Before then they will perform at Buncrana Youth
Club’s 40th anniversary celebrations at the start of
September.
“That will be a special day for us because the youth
club is where we have practiced every week since the
band was formed in 1972,” added Siobhan. |
