Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band

I joined Laganvale in September 1968 having learnt the basics with Thomas Street Old Boys, Portadown and the County Armagh Youth Orchestra. Banding was very much a family tradition as my grandfather, great uncle, uncle and dad had all played in Thomas Street.

My first experience of Laganvale was a mixture of annoyance and great disappointment - I was put in the learners class until after the November contest. Once into the band I played 3rd cornet for the first year, got a tooth crowned and moved to 1st horn for the next year, and then moved to solo cornet.

Having forged a very enjoyable partnership with Davy Watson I took over as Principal Cornet in 1975 following his untimely death. I attempted to play Principal on and off until 1995 - interrupted by periods of bumping up Jackie Moore and Philip O'Neill plus one horrendous year out on Soprano Cornet (our whole front row had tried and failed by that stage - there is something very strange about people who can actually play a sop, evidence Mark Ruddock).

I got a lot of fun out of playing Principal but the highlights were twice winning the best instrumentalist prize at the NIBA Championship, the best of these being 1995 when the band also won and we qualified for our first trip to the Europeans in Bergen.

In 1999 I continued my journey of discovery, trying to find the right instrument, through euphonium, baritone and now back to tenor horn (percussion must be coming soon).

While my main interest has been, and always will be playing, I have somehow been persuaded to serve two stints as Secretary.