Local bands are in tune for Orange events

There will be stalls featuring the Orange Order and Black Institution on the open day which takes place on Saturday February 7 from 11am to 4pm.

There will also be two of the oldest marching bands in the country there performing Banbridge Silver, and Seapatrick Flute.

The hall’s museum will also be open for anyone interested in the history of the hall, and the Loyal Orders, and there will be a cup of tea on offer for anyone who attends.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event.

Meanwhile Drumlough Pipe Band will be in concert on a permanent basis when the new Museum of Orange Heritage opens in Belfast later this year.

The museum, located on the city’s Cregagh Road, is now completing construction and preparations are well underway for its opening.

The £3.6m EU Peace III funded project will be a major new museum, featuring artefacts dating back to the 1680s.

There will also be audio visual displays and last week the Rathfriland-based band were recorded as one of the bands which will feature in a musical section of the museum.

The band recorded several tunes for the project and there was an excellent turn out of members for the occasion.

The Orange Order’s Director of Services, Dr. David Hume, thanked Drumlough members for their musical participation.

“They will now be one of a number of bands from across Northern Ireland who will feature in the new centre,” said Dr Hume.

“Visitors will be able to press a button to choose whether they want to hear silver, pipes, accordion, flute or lambegs in the installation.

“We anticipate considerable visitor numbers from June, when the museum will open to the public.

“And this will also include international visitors.

“There are already lodges from Scotland booked to visit .

“We will shortly begin a marketing campaign to make more people aware of what is on offer.”

“We can promise a unique visitor experience and we are pleased that Drumlough Pipe Band will be part of it,” he added.