IN PICTURES: Limerick marches to a different beat as 52nd International Band Championship takes place

LIMERICK marched to a different beat this Monday as the 52nd annual International Band Championship took place.

Unique to the city, the contest drew 16 marching bands from the USA, Britain and Ireland, all of whom competed to win the contest.

There were chants of 'Go Cougars' as a band from the American state of Minnesota took the top prize following their energetic performance.

The 110 strong Lakeville South Marching Cougars impressed the four judges and the thousands of spectators who lined the streets for the event.

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Dressed in red and black, the musicians brought the curtain down on the Band Championship with a rip-roaring rendition of Shipping up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys.

It was a case of double celebrations for the Lakeville South Marching Cougars, with the group also taking the title of best international band.

They were joined in the winners' enclosure by a number of other groups.

Another American group, Youngsville High School Marching Eagles from Pennsylvania won best youth band, while the title of best local band went to Limerick's oldest group, the Boherbuoy Brass and Reed Band.

Clondalkin Youth Band provided the best musical performance on the day, and the Mullingar Youth Band were recognised as having the best uniforms.

Most entertaining performance came from Banna Chluain Meala from Clonmel in Co Tipperary.

The Pyjama Band adding some colour and having the craic at the 52nd International Band Championship #LimerickStPatsFestival #LimerickEdgeEmbrace pic.twitter.com/DZIsKLUpcE

— Limerick Council - Comhairle Luimnigh (@LimerickCouncil) March 18, 2024

The Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh Pipes and Drum band, who flew over from Jersey Shore, were named best pipe band.

The judges gave out three special awards.

Two of these, for bands embodying the spirit of the festival, went to The Friendship Band from Northern Ireland, long-term participants in the International Band Parade, and the Pyjama Band, who hail from Yorkshire in England.

Limerick's own CBS Pipe Band won another special prize, the Mol an Óige (Praise the Youth) award.

Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Gerald Mitchell was on hand to give out the awards.

He said: "What a display of exceptional musical talent! These bands marched through our streets with an explosive energy and all-round high entertainment. We love to see all the Limerick bands from the city and county and also the bands that travel from around the country and the world to come here every year. There’s a huge number of visitors in Limerick this weekend. We are the only ones in the country who have the International Band Championship and you can see that the people of Limerick appreciate that as they always turn out in large numbers."

There were four competition judges: RTE Lyric FM presenter Niall Carroll, Cork School of Music lecturer Dr Evelyn Grant, army bandmaster Norman Rodgerson and Dr Jonathan Helmick, the director of bands at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.

Dr Grant said she was delighted to see musicians of all ages taking part.

"I was very inspired by the intergenerational participation in the bands and the way the tradition of pipe band music, fife and drum band music and the highly entertaining American band style performance combines in this championship. There was a very high quality of musicianship and very entertaining selections of music so it was great for the crowd. Great diversity and great to see people coming from all over Ireland," he added.

The Limerick International Band Championship, run for a 52nd occasion, brought the curtain down on big participation events around the Limerick St Patrick’s Festival for 2024.