Entire Clan Gregor drum section leaves for Fife Constabulary

The post-Cowal Championships band maneuvers started with a splash, with the Grade 1 Fife Constabulary gaining the entire drum section of the Grade 1 Clan Gregor Pipe Band.

 

The move includes Clan Gregor Lead-Drummer Mick O’Neil, who will take over that post at Fife Constabulary.

 

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank [Clan Gregor] Pipe-Major David Clunie and all members of the band for an enjoyable and successful season in 2008,” O’Neill said. “The corps now feels it is time to move in a new musical direction and we are very much looking forward to working with Pipe-Major James Murray and all members of the Fife Constabulary Pipe Band. We wish Clan Gregor continued success in the future.”

 

O’Neill and a few of the drummer had played with Clan Gregor for the past seven years, since the band’s inception in 2001. Fife Constabulary was formed in the fall of 2007.

 

Both Clan Gregor and Fife Constabulary qualified for the Final of the 2008 World Pipe Band Championships, finishing tenth and twelfth, and eighth and ninth at the 2008 Cowal Championships, respectively. Clan Gregor was first in the Grade 1 Qualifying competition at the World’s, and was generally judged in 2008 to have a considerably better drum section than that of Fife Constabulary.

 

It is not yet known whether Clan Gregor has a plan for replacement drummers.

 

Fife Constabulary announced last week that the band plans to establish a Novice Juvenile band and teaching program.