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On Friday 22nd of April Omagh True Blues Flute Band
hosted their 2nd annual band competition. Omagh True Blues are a
relatively new band being formed in the early part of 2003 and having
their first annual band competition in April 2004. Already they have
proved they are willing to travel in support of other bands and this was
well reflected in the support they received at their competition.
Twenty one bands were on parade and started around
8.50pm, leaving from the bus depot car park lead by East Bank
Protestant Boys Flute Band from County Londonderry.
 Next
to leave were Cormeen Rising Sons of William FB from Killylea County
Armagh who just last month hosted a successful parade on St. Patrick's
day. A steady flow of bands followed and were well received by the
spectators who had gathered in large numbers throughout the town. There
was a great family atmosphere around the route with plenty of children out
watching with their parents.
The route itself was a bit shorter this year as
part of the town centre was closed of due to major work being carried out.
Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to see all the bands but one band
that did impress were the recently formed Pride of the Derg. For a band
on one of its first outings they were playing very well and had a large band
out on parade.
With it still being early on in the season there were a
few bands who had to parade without uniform. Some are waiting for new ones
and some waiting for alterations being done on their existing uniforms.
Dunamoney FB, Steeple Defenders and a few others but this by no means
affected their playing ability.
Two other local bands from Omagh, Blair Memorial and
Omagh Protestant Boys were also in attendance but were competing in
different categories, the Protestant Boys in the melody section and Blair
Memorial in the Blood and Thunder section. Other bands on parade were
Ballymaconnelly Sons of Conquerors from Rasharkin, Burntollet Sons of Ulster
from Londonderry, Ballynafeigh Apprentice Boys from Belfast, Castlederg
Young Loyalists, Defenders of the Rock Lisbellaw, Mountober FB
Cookstown, Red Hand Defenders Newtownstewart, Pride of Orange and Blue
Londonderry, Pride of Orange Limavady, South Fermanagh Loyalists, Armagh
True Blues, Tamnamore FB, Killyman True Blues and Pride of the Village FB
Beragh. All in it was a very pleasant parade well
organised by the hosts who paraded part of the route themselves at the end
of the night. Well done. |
