10 Years On: Ramelton Complete Five Years of All Ireland Dominance

When Ramelton Town Band travelled to Ennis for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in August 2016, they were already in the middle of one of the most successful runs ever seen in the Senior Miscellaneous marching band competition.

They had won the All Ireland title in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Now they were attempting to make it five in a row.

The 2016 Fleadh was held in Ennis, where thousands of musicians and competitors gathered for nine days of competitions, concerts and traditional music. The marching band competition took place at Lees Road, with bands travelling from across Ireland to compete for the All Ireland titles.

For Ramelton, the result was the one they had been hoping for.

The Donegal band took first place in the Senior Miscellaneous competition, securing their fifth consecutive All Ireland title.

It was a remarkable achievement. Five successive victories meant that Ramelton had now dominated the section from 2012 through 2016, following their earlier titles in 2009 and 2010. By the end of the 2016 competition, the band had established a period of consistency that few other bands had managed to match.

The victory was also part of a hugely successful weekend for Donegal’s marching bands. Maghery retained the Senior Flute title, while Cloughaneely won the Junior Miscellaneous competition.

For Ramelton, though, the celebrations were about completing another piece of history.

Five years at the top is difficult enough in any competition. To do it in a marching band competition where performances, music, drill and presentation all have to come together on the day made the achievement even more significant.

The 2016 victory would ultimately prove to be the final chapter of Ramelton’s remarkable five-year run. The following year, a resurgent Cloughaneely senior band would take the title in Ennis.

But ten years ago, none of that had happened yet.

On that August afternoon in 2016, Ramelton Town Band had just achieved something extraordinary: five All Ireland Senior Miscellaneous titles in succession.

2016 All Ireland Fleadh – Senior Miscellaneous

🥇 Ramelton Town Band, Co. Donegal

Five consecutive All Ireland titles: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Ramelton returned to the All Ireland Fleadh in 2026 placing second this was the bands first appearance since their All Ireland win in 2019.