Closkelt dissolves; UK reduced to seven Grade 1 bands
Grade 1 Closkelt of Northern Ireland has announced the complete and immediate dissolution of the band, leaving the UK with only seven in the top grade.
Closkelt Pipe-Major David Chesney explained the decision was “due to a combination of internal and external factors.”
“While today marks a sad milestone for Closkelt, and undoubtedly for many others across the competition circuit, I do wish every member the very best in their future musical and personal endeavours,” Chesney said.
Since being elevated to Grade 1 after a very successful 2019 season, Closeklt struggled to gain a toe-hold in the top grade, unable to attract the number of pipers and drummers generally seen to be need to make the prize-list.
Closkelt had two very successful seasons in Grade 2, notable for winning by fielding a precisely set pipe section as small as 12 or 13 against pipe sections often twice the size. While not in the prize lists at major championships after becoming Grade 1, the band continued to play with unison precision, but again with relatively small numbers.
At the 2025 World Championships, which turned out to be Closkelt’s the final competition, the band fielded 14 pipers, but finished 14th out of 14.
The band held a final meeting last week, where they were thanked by the leaders for “their dedication and hard work, both during this past season and throughout their time with the band.”
The move brings the total number of Grade 1 bands in the world to 17:
- 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
- 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) (Canada)
- Auckland & District (New Zealand)
- Canterbury Caledonian (New Zealand)
- Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
- Hawthorn (Australia)
- Inveraray & District (Scotland)
- Johnstone (Scotland)
- Manawatu Scottish (New Zealand)
- Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
- Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland)
- Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
- Ravara (Northern Ireland)
- ScottishPower (Scotland)
- Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
- Simon Fraser University (Canada)
- St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
- St. Thomas Alumni (USA)
It should be noted that the 78th Highlanders and Johnstone are currently searching for a leading-drummer. The 78th Highlanders and Police Scotland & Federation were on a competitive hiatus in 2025.
Last week, ILT City of Invercargill Highland of New Zealand requested to be moved to Grade 2, as the band “starts a new chapter,” according to Pipe-Major Alasdair MacKenzie.
The New Zealand Police were moved to Grade 2 after the 2025 New Zealand Championships.
Both Johnstone Pipe-Major Donald Mackay and Police Scotland & Federation’s former Pipe-Major Ewan Henderson have expressed the challenges and rewards of fielding a competitive band at the top level.
In its first post-season regrading announcement, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association did not upgrade any Grade 2 bands. Some had expected the UKS’s Glasgow Skye Association and Uddingston to be promoted after successful 2025 seasons.
The Eastern United States Pipe Band Association has not yet announced its grading decisions, but there is some speculation that City of Dunedin (Florida) and Ulster Scottish could be promoted to Grade 1.
“It has been my privilege to serve as pipe-major of Closkelt for over 15 years,” Chesney added in a statement. “From our victory at the Grade 4B World Championships in 2011, through the years of progress culminating in our promotion to Grade 1 in 2019, and on to competing among the world’s elite for the past four seasons, what a journey it has been.”
No surprise. Anyone who didn’t see this coming was not reading the room, and has no idea what way the pipe band scene is disappearing in Northern Ireland.
You need to live here to understand
Howard, your right,its really & truly disappointmenting of another band breaking up. The bands are too big. 16 or pipers 6 or 7 snares 3 tenors 1 bass is fair size of a band. In the experience over 40 years its not the first time pending on what way pipes and drums are set and played smaller bands often was producing more sound. Its a numbers game. Barring a few bands certainly drum corps you drop the 4 drummers that produces least tone out of the drum unless times of changed there are drummers not producing much drum sound. Pipers maybe playing very weak reeds or at the last minute not all play 3 drones with big power . Take that over so many bands and you could build 2 or 3 bands that’s not counting the others waiting in the wings to rebuild..