Manorcunningham reign with straight firsts at 2026 Ulster Championships

Bangor, Northern Ireland – August 1, 2026 – Ward Park was the venue for the 2026 Ulster Pipe Band & Drum Major Championships, and it was Ireland’s Manorcunningham that won the overall Grade 2 title with eight out of a possible eight firsts from the judges.

With only Ravara playing in Grade 1, Grade 2 was the highest contested grade at the event.

The weather was sparkling, and a total of 34 bands competed across the six grades at the contest, organized by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s Northern Ireland branch.

Grade 1 (one performed for comments)
Medley
Ravara
Judges: Richard Parkes, Sam Young (piping); Adrian Hoy (drumming); Jim Campbell (ensemble)

MSR
Ravara
Judges: Mark Faloon, Cameron Edgar (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Keith Orr (ensemble)

Grade 2
Overall
1st Manorcunningham
2nd Tullylagan
Drumming: Manorcunningham
Bass Section: Manorcunningham

Medley
1st Manorcunningham (1,1,1,1)
2nd Tullylagan (2,2,2,2)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Cameron Edgar (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Keith Orr (ensemble)

MSR
1st Manorcunningham (1,1,2,1)
2nd Tullylagan (2,2,1,2)
Judges: Richard Parkes, Sam Young (piping); Adrian Hoy (drumming); Jim Campbell (ensemble)

Grade 3A
Overall
1st McNeillstown
2nd Matt Boyd Memorial
3rd Cloughfin
4th Major Sinclair Memorial
5th Kildoag
6th Cullybackey
7th Syerla & District
8th Irvine Memorial
Drumming: McNeillstown
Bass Section: Major Sinclair Memorial

Medley
1st McNeillstown (2,1,1,1)
2nd Cloughfin (1,2,8,2)
3rd Matt Boyd Memorial (3,3,3,4)
4th Kildoag (4,4,6,3)
5th Cullybackey (6,5,5,5)
6th Major Sinclair Memorial (7,6,2,7)
7th Irvine Memorial (5,8,7,6)
8th Syerla & District (8,7,4,8)
Judges: Richard Parkes, Sam Young (piping); Adrian Hoy (drumming); Jim Campbell (ensemble)

MSR
1st McNeillstown (3,1,3,1)
2nd Matt Boyd Memorial (1,4,2,2)
3rd Major Sinclair Memorial (5,3,1,3)
4th Cloughfin (2,2,4,4)
5th Cullybackey (6,5,7,5)
6th Kildoag (4,6,6,7)
7th Syerla & District (8,8,5,6)
8th Irvine Memorial (7,7,8,8)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Cameron Edgar (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Keith Orr (ensemble)

Grade 3B
1st Drumlough
2nd Upper Crossgare
3rd Ballyboley
4th Cleland Memorial
5th New Ross & District
6th William Kerr Memorial
Drumming: Drumlough
Bass Section: New Ross & District

Grade 3B
1st Upper Crossgare (1,1,2,1)
2nd Drumlough (2,2,1,2)
3rd Ballyboley (3,3,4,3)
4th Cleland Memorial (4,4,6,4)
5th William Kerr Memorial (5,6,3,5)
6th New Ross & District (6,5,5,6)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Cameron Edgar (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Keith Orr (ensemble)

MSR
1st Drumlough (1,1,2,1)
2nd Ballyboley (2,2,4,2)
3rd Upper Crossgare (3,3,3,4)
4th New Ross & District (5,5,1,5)
5th Cleland Memorial (4,4,6,3)
6th William Kerr Memorial (6,6,5,6)
Judges: Richard Parkes, Sam Young (piping); Adrian Hoy (drumming); Jim Campbell (ensemble)

Grade 4A
1st Moneygore (1,1,1,1)
2nd Gransha (2,2,2,2)
3rd Ballybriest (3,3,4,3)
4th Altnaveigh Memorial (5,5,3,4)
5th Marlacoo (4,4,7,5)
6th Queen Elizabeth (7,6,5,6)
7th Cottown (6,7,6,7)
Judges: Mark Faloon, Cameron Edgar (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Keith Orr (ensemble)
Bass Section: Altnaveigh Memorial

Grade 4B
1st Bready Ulster Scots (1,1,2,1)
2nd Tullylagan (4,3,1,2)
3rd Major Sinclair Memorial (2,2,4,3)
4th Hollymount (3,4,3,4)
5th Joseph Forde Memorial (5,5,5,6)
6th Cleland Memorial (6,6,9,5)
7th Kirkistown (8,8,6,7)
8th Letterkenny & District (7,7,10,8)
9th Dromara & District (10,10,7,9)
10th Garvagh (9,9,8,10)
Judges: Richard Parkes, Sam Young (piping); Adrian Hoy (drumming); Jim Campbell (ensemble)
Bass Section: Tullylagan