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Moving the majors about EmptyTue 12 Jan - 17:37:19 by Gordy88

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Moving the majors about EmptyWed 29 Jul - 14:50:42 by Heilan Mary

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Moving the majors about EmptyTue 28 Jul - 16:55:42 by Gordy88

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Moving the majors about

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Moving the majors about Empty Moving the majors about

Post by Gordy88 Fri 1 Feb - 16:27:33

Just a thought from a post that FeeFee made in another thread.

Moving the majors.

I doubt that you would find one band member from Northern Ireland who would not want them moved about.

And as well as the obvious financial reasons I think, but stand to be corrected, that the Majors staying mostly in Scotland is having other effects.

Firstly I will confine the inital part of this post to Northern Ireland bands and the costs involved,

At present, the costs for a band member, for 1 season, doing all 5 majors in roughly as follows:-

1. Dumbarton, handy day trip, not as good as Stranraer, as you have to pay for a bus, but a cheapy as there is no accomodation, Band trip £60, Breakfast on boat, £8, burger in park £5, Tea on Boat £10
Total for a basic day £83 water, beer, bigger lunch is all extra.

2. Any given 3 day major, Be it in the UK, trip cost £150, plus a minimum pocket money cost of £100, costs £13 to park in Larne for the weekend remember, £100 is a sane weekend, dont expect a blowout.

3. There are at least 2 of these above. £250 each

4. A 4 day majors, World, perhaps Cowal, extra £35 on the trip cost, as well as maybe 30 on your spendies, comes to around £320

5. So if we call Dumbarton £100 for easy sums, 100 +250+250+320+£320 =1240

£1200 for the sake of argument Per person per season, for a NI band doing all the majors.

1 major over here is a considerable saving, in anyones book 1200 quid is a few pounds,

Now, its gets exciting, in grade 1 this year, in Ireland, including SLOT there are approximately 175 players in 5 bands, plus nonplaying members who will attend all comps too, easily 5 per band, makes it approximately 200.

In grade 2, there will be 4 bands, approx 30 player in each, plus a few other travellers, call it 140 people in total,

That, in grade 1 and 2 in Northern Ireland for Grade 1 and 2 ONLY is arond 340 people at £1200 per head,

That comes to £408,000, for a year, for the 9 grade 1 and grade 2 bands, add to that grades 3a 3b 4a and 4b and drum majors.

Cant be much change left from a Million quid per year.

Now people will understand why NI bands complain about not getting a Major every year, and have no sympathy for Scottish bands who complain about travelling.

In my opinion, The worlds should be in glasgow, always, without question, the Scottish obviously should remain there too.

The all Irelands should have major status, The IPBA and RSPBA could work an arrangement to allow this to happen, at present it won't as all Majors are run from Washington Street, and the IPBA won't give up their half it.

The Europeans, should be Mobile, going anywhere in Europe, as should the British, remaining in the UK. Both perhaps on a rotating basis, similar to the world cup in football, where for a given year its going to a given country, Scotland, NI, England, France, Belgium, Italy ROI are all contenders, as long as they are in the region, that means that bands can budget for a year or 2 ahead, knowing in 2 years we're going to France, rather than getting 5/6 months notice.

Cowal should be binned, and a new Major initiated, I know a lot of you wont like that, but to be honest, Cowal has had its day, although they made great inprovements last year, its too little too late, hard to get there, and way too dear when you do.

For this one, I would tender out to a big sponsor, and it could be named after them whilst they hold the sponsorship, The Glenfiddich Championships for example. I would have a caveat here, in that ir should not be a pipe or drum company who does the sponsoring, Theres already far too much mischief in that direction, we don't need any more

That would give 6 majors, from which the best 5 results count for COC, that allow a band to miss one for whatever reason, and still be in with a chance for COC.

My second point is relating to something I posted earlier about the balance of power in Piping shifting or having shifted from Scotland to Northern Ireland.

Is the reason, that NI band members are willing to put their hands in their pockets?

I don't know if its the whole reason, but I am sure its part of it,

Look around your band, and think would I, or how many people here will put over a grand into getting to the majors,

Add to that, drone reeds, pipe bags, pipes, hemp, dope, all the things that pipers pay for, and appears that our skinflint drumming brethren don't.

A few thoughts for you all there, i'm off to quench my fingers laughing

Cheers
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Post by Heilan Mary Fri 1 Feb - 17:22:11

A few good points there Gordy. The Scottish bands really dont know how lucky they are having 3 Majors in Scotland. All the NI people who I have had conversations with do in fact hate Cowal Games and wont even go now unless they really have too.

If I was to win the lottery tomorrow I would probably donate some money to the Band so to help them with transport costs, etc and then bugger off to Richard's or warmer climates. lol.
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Post by Reid Fri 1 Feb - 21:30:16

I'm waiting to read Stormy's reply! Great thread and points!
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Post by Piping Connections Fri 1 Feb - 22:36:53

Just as a matter of interest Gordy do you guys do any fundraising ar lottery funding applications ???
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Post by Itchyknee Sat 2 Feb - 0:50:33

How about, instead of Cowal we have an International comp. Like the worlds but it always goes abroad?
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Post by Gordy88 Sat 2 Feb - 0:58:53

Piping Connections wrote:Just as a matter of interest Gordy do you guys do any fundraising ar lottery funding applications ???

Most bands do a fair share of fund raising, but it mostly goes towards uniforms and general running costs.

Lottery applications are generally for Instruments, although, that is thinning out, as a lot of bands have had, and a lot of this money is going towards the Olympics.

By and large, For trips and competitions, you pay your own way,

Or you don't go,

Itchyknee, A mobile major is a good idea, as it gets about, but say we have it in the states, its just megabucks, British bands would need a minimum 3 year lead in to a North American competitiion,

Getting to Scotland is dear enough, and with a world wide recession looming, sponsors may be thin on the ground
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Post by Itchyknee Sat 2 Feb - 1:08:10

Totally agree Gordy. Most Scottish bands I know would struggle to go abroad more than once every half dozen years unless they were getting most of the trip paid for.
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Post by Dai Robb Mon 4 Feb - 16:06:04

Brilliant post Gordy, with no digs or silly comments from anyone either I wonder if that would have happened anywhere else?
I am not involoved these day's but find this and the post of Fiona's very interesting indeed.
Thanks guys
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Post by Redneck Mon 4 Feb - 21:02:08

Gordy, I agree wi ya 100%. Fundraising?.........there's a ceasefire ya cabbage...the Rolf Harris faces ( balaclava's ) are put away.

How else ya supposed da get money over here wi out a furry face huh?. laughing laughing laughing Pint

Oh, one point.......I love Cowal,.........headin' o'er on the ferry wi a druth, crackin' open a tin a Liverpool......the rain pisshin' down on ya........where else wid ya get it....feckin' brill.

The highland dancers always stay in the same hotel.... hug big grin
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Post by wee_fee-Fee Wed 6 Feb - 10:59:59

Moving on with this thread the RSPBA have decided to keep the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, despite a strong bid from the city of Belfast. The two cities competed for the competition, which has been held in Glasgow since 1985, when the contest moved to Hamilton, after several years in Glasgow.



The deal reportedly is for the years 2010-'12, with 2008-'09 already locked up for Glasgow. The event alone is expected to generate £10 million for Glasgow over the three years.

I think that one of the main reasonings behind it is the increasingly popular Piping Live! Festival, which takes advantage of the influx of visitors to Glasgow during the week.
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Post by wee_fee-Fee Wed 6 Feb - 15:35:43

I would have been happy to travel to Belfast for the Worlds. Get another drinking sesh wi Iain n Gordy Pint
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Post by wee_fee-Fee Wed 6 Feb - 15:40:10

Redneck wrote:Gordy, I agree wi ya 100%. Fundraising?.........there's a ceasefire ya cabbage...the Rolf Harris faces ( balaclava's ) are put away.

How else ya supposed da get money over here wi out a furry face huh?. laughing laughing laughing Pint

Oh, one point.......I love Cowal,.........headin' o'er on the ferry wi a druth, crackin' open a tin a Liverpool......the rain pisshin' down on ya........where else wid ya get it....feckin' brill.

The highland dancers always stay in the same hotel.... hug big grin

Aye... Iain's collecting the old boob tubes eh ;o) laughing mind oot for the window. LMAO
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Post by Redneck Wed 6 Feb - 21:06:29

wee_fee-Fee wrote: Aye... Iain's collecting the old boob tubes eh ;o) laughing mind oot for the window. LMAO

Wat a sight fer blood shot eyes it was too, tight Lycra bicycle shorts 'n all those stretchin' exercises........the yank near fell oot the windae......lmao. Aaaaaaaaaaaaa, those were the days. big grin
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