McDonald Memorial Pipe Band

13/06/2026

Congratulations to our Drum Majors Libby & Christopher who took part in the United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships today.

This was the first Major Championship for both of them.

09/06/2026

Lovely to see our Novice Drum Major Libby helping to promote the United Kingdom Championships!

Both Libby and our Juvenile DM Christopher will be taking part in the United Kingdom Championships in Belfast on Saturday.

⏳ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 & 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬!

The second major championship of the season returns to Northern Ireland on Saturday, with a brand-new venue playing host to the event – 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤, Belfast. Northern Ireland has been a regular home of the United Kingdom Championships since it was first established in 2014, and we look forward to another fantastic day of competition.

Over 60 bands and 40 Drum Majors will compete for the prestigious title of United Kingdom Champion in their respective grades.

A huge thank you to the members of Ballyboley, Down Pipes & Drums, Hollymount and McDonald Memorial who braved the January weather to help capture this promotional photograph. Here's hoping the sunshine makes an appearance at Grove Park this weekend! ☀️

🎟️ Tickets are available online: https://unitedkingdom2026.eventbrite.co.uk

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch RSPBA - Dundee, Perth and Angus Branch RSPBA - North of Scotland Branch RSPBA Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway Branch of RSPBA Rspba L&B Branch RSPBA London & South of England RSPBA North East England Irish Pipe Band Association
The Big Rab Show

06/06/2026

Great to see a wee drum major from McDonald Memorial Pipe Band out getting some practice in at Grove Playing Fields ahead of the United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships next Saturday. As Roy Castle used to say, 'dedication's what you need if you want to be a record breaker!' If you want to come along and see all the great bands, drum majors and lots besides, get your tickets now!

https://UnitedKingdom2026.Eventbrite.co.uk

Please like and share.

03/06/2026

It's with immense sorrow we share the passing today of our Band President Norman McDonald Snr. Father to Chairman & PS Norman McDonald Jnr , Grandad to Alexander Orr , Uncle, Great-Uncle, and friend to many of our members and supporters.

Norman Snr was one of the bands original founding members and pipers. Well known in many pipe band circles, he embraced the social side and camaraderie of the competitive pipe band scene. Those who knew him will no doubt have their own treasured memories and stories to tell 😊

We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to Normans wider family circle and friends. This legend will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew him. 💔

https://www.funeraltimes.com/norman-mauricemcdonald384051431

23/05/2026

First competition of the season for Libby. She took part in the Novice Drum Major competition today.

Christopher also took part in the Juvenile Drum Major competition.

Well done to both our DMs for competing in challenging conditions.

16/05/2026

Congratulations to Christopher who placed 1st in the Juvenile DM grade in Donabate today 🥇

15/05/2026

Good luck to MMPB Drum Major Christopher who will take part in his first competition in Donabate tomorrow.

29/04/2026

📢𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐋𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀 𝐆𝐎!

We're are delighted to officially announce that the 73rd Ulster Pipe Band & Drum Major Championships will take place in the beautiful and spacious surrounding of 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐫 on 𝟏 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 – kindly supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council.

The Ulster Championships brings together bands, families and supporters from all over for what is one of our biggest annual events, and will see bands and drum majors compete for the prestigious 'Ulster Champion' title.
__

Full event details, including parking arrangements will be updated on the event page in due course, as plans progress at: 👉 rspbani.org/event/ulster26 –and entries are still open!
__

𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒕 - 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆 - 𝑺𝒆𝒆 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉

🩶❤️
A massive thank you to Ards and North Down Borough Council for their valued support, helping the Branch deliver what is our flagship championship event, and one that is worthy of the historic tradition and value that our bands, drum majors and spectators have come to expect.

𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒔!

rspbani.org/2026/04/29/bangor-to-host-the-ulster-championships
_

For other things to see and do around the area, please go to 👉 www.visitardsandnorthdown.com



_
_

RSPBA - The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association
Irish Pipe Band Association
The Big Rab Show
We Love Pipe Bands
Bagpipe.News
pipes|drums

24/04/2026

Next up: 𝐂𝐨. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

🔹THIS SATURDAY🔹

Winter practice? 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲.
Uniforms? 𝗜𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿.
Pipes & Drums ready? 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆.

Now it’s time to bring the noise to Dromore!

This is the first full‑band competition of the year — the perfect warm‑up before we hit the grass for Season2026. Expect big sound, tight playing, and that unmistakable indoor intensity where every beat hits that little bit harder.

-

📅 Saturday 25 April 2026
📍 Dromore High School, BT25 1ND
⏰ First band: 11am

-

𝑵𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅. 𝑵𝒐 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑵𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒔.

Full details: 👉 rspbani.org/event/downindoors26

-

💚 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘗𝘪𝘱𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘐𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩 – 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

📧 All Enquiries: [email protected]

13/04/2026

🚨 𝙍𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩 – 𝙋𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮

The Branch has been contacted by a juvenile competitor from Scotland who is travelling over to take part in this year’s United Kingdom Solo Drumming this Friday evening in Cookstown

Unfortunately, his piper has had to withdraw at the last minute, leaving him in a difficult position after already having booked travel and accommodation.

Name: 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 (𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬)
Plays: 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟑
MSR tunes:
• 𝐀𝐫𝐠𝐲𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠
• 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐌𝐜𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐝
• 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐥

If any pipers are available and willing to help, it would make a huge difference to this young drummer.

If you can assist, please get in touch with us via Facebook Messenger or email: [email protected] and we can pass contact details on.

🩵

Thank you to anyone who can lend a hand — your support would be greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to share this post to get the message out!