DBB made history yet again, becoming the first brass band from the Republic to achieve the north/south double by winning the 2^nd Grade Brass Section of the NIBA Championship of Ireland contest in Armagh on Saturday last 31^st October, adding the northern title to the IABCB National Championship won for the third successive year in Cork in April.

We became the first brass band from the Republic to win at the NIBA contest when we won the same section in 1985, and have won it on two other occasions, 1997 & 1998. This year’s winning performance, under the direction of conductor Michael Maher, was awarded 93 points by adjudicator Peter Bassano, one more than runners-up Third Carrickfergus Band and two ahead of 3^rd-placed Downshire Brass. A total of  seven bands entered for the section with one withdrawn on the day.

 In his post-contest stage remarks Peter Bassano praised our musical approach to the test piece, Resurgam by Eric Ball, which dates from a time (c.1950) when the brass band sound was quite different from the modern era. Our bass section Mark Nutley, Terry Heeney (Eb), DJ Walsh, Michael Plunkett and Tony Collins (BBb) also won the Best Bass Section award. Representatives of the band will travel to the Awards Presentation Dinner Dance in Ballynahinch on Saturday 21^st November where the Symington Cup (1^st prize), William Herron Trophy (winning conductor) and John Beckett Memorial Cup (best bass section) will be presented to the band.

Conductor Michael Maher was delighted with the performance on the day. He praised the courage of the band in playing the quieter passages at the correct dynamic in such a pressure atmosphere. Resurgam is one of the most iconic pieces in the history of the brass band movement and it was a thrill to conduct such a fine performance.

(Article by Michael Plunkett posted by Stephen Murray)