Birmingham Trip Announced
by Trevor Johnston
After careful consideration and much deliberation, the members of the Drogheda Brass Band made a formal decision on the night of Monday 8th August to represent Ireland in the 2000 European Brass Band Championships which are due to be held in Birmingham, England.
This will be the first trip abroad that the band has undertaken since the late 1970s, when they were invited to play in America. This will be the first major trip for the vast majority of the current band members - the average age of the members is 21, so few will remember that trip to Iowa!
The band's victory at the Irish National Band Championships in April 1999 meant that they have been eligible to go forward to represent their country at European level. It is expected that they will compete with three other bands in the first section competitions, while the trip will provide a perfect - not to mention welcomed - opportunity to hear some of the best brass bands in the world playing at top form in the championship section.
The competitions are being held on next year's April bank holiday weekend, meaning that the band will be leaving Thursday 27th April and returning on Sunday 30th. In the meantime, the band will not only have to reach peak musical form by running masses of extra rehearsals, but will have to come up with the necessary funds to carry out such a trip.
With the Irish Championships just a month earlier on March 25th-26th, the Drogheda Brass Band has a hectic schedule for the next twelve months!