Top Ten Marching Bands of 2018 in Ireland

This is a review of the 2018 marching band season and in this article we will announce our top ten Irish Traditional Music bands of 2018. It includes bands of all abilities, ages and competitive and non competitive bands. After I’ve briefly described each band they receive a score based on five factors out of ten and totalled to 50 this is how the results were decided.

So in Reverse order…….

10.  Letterkenny Senior Accordion Band, Donegal

They were formed in 2012 and mainly preform and participate in local festivals and competitions. In 2018 they entered the Cloughaneely Indoor competition and won their section of reformed bands and also won the prize of best drum corp of the day, beating all the other bands.

Scores;
Music – 7
Drums – 9
Drill – 7
Overall Performance – 8
Achievements in 2018 – 6
                                                      Total – 30

9. K and S Accordion Band, Meath

This year they returned to the Fleadh competitions for the first time since 2015 and they had a largely successful year. They won the Meath Fleadh then the Leinster Fleadh qualifying them for the All Ireland Fleadh in Drogheda which they also won. So in terms of silverware K and S had done well however they did not come up against anyone in any of their competitions this year, so their level of performance could not be compared to any other bands.

Scores;
Music – 7
Drums – 7
Drill – 6
Overall Performance – 7
Achievements in 2018 – 8
  Total = 35

8. Chloich Cheann Fhaola Junior Band, Donegal

In 2018 they won the Junior Miscellaneous section at the Cloughaneely indoor competition and they also won best band on the day. They did not however carry this success forward for the rest of the year when they failed to win any of their Fleadh competitions. This was very unfortunate as they had been so successful in previous years winning the All Ireland Junior Miscellaneous title three years in a row. If they had of continued their success they may have been further up the top ten list.

Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 7
Drill – 8
Overall Performance – 7
Achievements in 2018 – 7
Total = 36

7. Mayobridge Accordion Band, Down

Mayobridge band stopped being a competitive marching band since 2010 and since then they have rocketed to fame. They have become one of the most popular parade bands in Ireland and have extended their success to other countries. Each year they annually lead the Rose of Tralee Parade, they’ve also led the London St Patricks Day parade in 2017. This year they were asked to take part in the Bathgate Festival in Scotland and they played at four Ulster Championship pre match parades in 2018. The number of high-profile events and parades Mayobridge preform at warrants their place on this list.

Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 7
Drill – 7
Overall Performance – 8
Achievements in 2018 –  7
Total = 37

6. Ramelton Town Band, Donegal

In 2018 Ramelton entered the Senior Miscellaneous Fleadh competitions as usual hoping to regain their title which they had lost the previous year to Chloich Cheann Fhaola Senior Band after winning it for six consecutive years. They started off by wining the Donegal Fleadh, then competed in the Ulster Fleadh qualifying them for the All Ireland Fleadh, as Ulster Champions after playing their hearts out they were good enough to win. Their successes of this year is represented in their positioning, but a band of this high standard with excellent music and drill should be placed higher. If they are successful in winning the All Ireland next year they could be even higher up this list.

  Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 7
Drill – 8
Overall Performance – 8
Achievements in 2018 – 7
Total = 38

5. Donegal Town Band, Donegal

This band had an amazing year, from the very start of the marching season they were on top form. They won the Donegal Junior Miscellaneous Fleadh in June, then triumphed at the Ulster Fleadh in Castlewellen and then the ultimate test for them the All Ireland Junior Miscellaneous Fleadh. This was a tough competition with four competitors but only one band stood out for their high-class of marching drill and musical performance, 2018 was the year for them to regain their title after losing for three years in a row. The last time they won they had held the trophy for three consecutive years, I wouldn`t imagine they’re gonna give it up easily in 2019.

Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 7
Drill – 8
Overall Performance – 8
Achievements in 2018 – 9
Total = 40

4. Holy Cross Miscellaneous Band Atticall, Down

This band is part of the band known as Holy Cross Band Atticall. They used to just compete in junior and senior accordion competitions but in 2018 they expanded into the miscellaneous section. They competed in their first competition and won the County Down Fleadh, they then went on to win the Senior Miscellaneous competition at the Ulster Fleadh,  narrowly beating Ramelton town band. They then entered the All Ireland Fleadh making history in the process by being the first band ever to enter two different senior competitions. They went into the competition not expecting much but the reaction from the rapturous crowds watching on at their performance gave them such a shock. However when the results were announced they were disappointed  by the result Atticall 3rd. However I have no doubt Atticall Miscellaneous band will come back fighting, like they always do, next year.

Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 9
Drill – 8
Overall Performance – 8
Achievements in 2018 – 8
Total = 41

3. Chloich Cheann Fhaola Senior Band, Donegal

This band was only formed in 2016 from members who had previously been in the junior band. They decided to enter the Fleadh competitions in 2017 and went on to win the All Ireland Senior Miscellaneous Title in 2018, beating off six in a row champions Ramelton Town Band. They returned in 2018 to defend their title, with having competed in only one minor competition since May there were question marks over their capabilities and their lack of competition practice in 2018. However they proved everyone wrong and put on one of the best marching and drill performances of the day. They successfully retained their All Ireland title however as mentioned above some were unhappy with the result and believed that one of the other bands should have won.  But they did perform outstandingly well and clearly the judges thought they were the best in the section and that’s all that counts. In 2019 I`d imagine they’ll continue their defence of the Senior Miscellaneous title and aim for their first three in a row.

Scores;
Music – 8
Drums – 8
Drill – 9
Overall Performance – 9
Achievements in 2018 – 9
Total = 43

2. Maghery Fife and Drum Band, Donegal

Maghery have been an extremely successful flute band in the last five years winning four consecutive Senior Flute All Ireland Titles most recently at the 2018 Fleadh Cheoil in Drogheda. They also compete annually in Dungloe Easter Sunday Competition, in 2018 they celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first time the band won in Dungloe’s Easter Sunday competition. Since Easter Sunday 1958, the band have certainly proved to be amongst the best in the country and have kept their winning streak. In 2018 their Senior Competitive Band were the Easter Champions 2018 with a winning show that has gone viral online gaining 36,000 views in a week, it now has over 50,000 views. They also took home the awards for Best Drum Major, Best Band on Parade and they were the C Winners. They also now have a junior band that plays in competitions and parades.  They won the Best Juniors at Dungloe’s Easter Sunday competition and won the Junior Flute competition at the Donegal Fleadh. The standard of all their performances is so high everything is perfect,  they definitely have the best Marching and drill routine in Ireland at the minute, that’s why it was so close between them and the overall winners. I have no doubt Maghery will be back on this list next year again after winning their 5th consecutive All Ireland, I`d say the “Drive for Five” has already begun.

Scores ;
Music – 8
Drums – 8
Drill – 10
Overall Performance – 9
Achievements in 2018 – 9
Total = 44

1. Holy Cross Atticall Accordion Band, Down

So here we have it the overall winner, Holy Cross Atticall Accordion Band the best band of 2018. So at this stage you’re wondering why I think their the best, well it’s for a number of reasons. They won the Senior Accordion All Ireland in 2018 and that was their third consecutive year in winning it, this is most remarkable because the Senior Accordion Competition has always been the hardest to win and the most competitive usually only one mark separates first and second. Their music alone would win them competitions never mind their outstanding drum and marching drill. The majority of the music they play is all composed by their very talented musical director and this is what differentiates them from other bands because they don’t have access to this unbelievable music. Their performances provide such an emotional response from the spectators it results in standing ovations and unstoppable applause from onlookers. This is the difference between the number one and number two band because Maghery is better at the Marching Drill but Atticall have that musical edge and that merits them to be placed at number one. It’s amazing to think that ten years ago Atticall Band had only won their first and only Ulster Fleadh since 1974, now ten years later they’ve won six Senior Accordion All Ireland’s.  I`d imagine next year they’ll be returning with their Senior Miscellaneous band to try to make more history and become the first band to ever win three different All Ireland Fleadh titles, they’ve currently won the Senior and Junior Accordion. It’s also truly remarkable that this band has entered into three different sections at the All Ireland Fleadh in the space of three years and succeeded in one section once and winning three in a row in another. For a band from a very small village in south down this is something that they never could have imagined back in 1974 when they established the band. That is why I believe they deserve to be number one in 2018.

Scores;
Music – 10
Drums – 9
Drill – 8
Overall Performance – 10
Achievements in 2018 – 9
Total = 46