Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
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The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is one of the leading pipe bands in the world, and the most influential and successful pipe band from Northern Ireland ever. Led by Pipe Major Richard Parkes MBE, Pipe Sergeant Alastair Dunn and Drum Sergeant Keith Orr, the band has won every major championship title available, including nine coveted World Pipe Band Championships, three ‘Grand Slams', 12 Champions of Champions titles, 21 All Ireland Championships and 56 RSPBA major championship titles. 

Based in Lisburn, the band is representative of Northern Ireland with membership spanning all four corners of the country. In recent years, FMM has attracted members from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Denmark, France, Scotland, England, and of course the north and south of Ireland. The band is exceptionally proud of both its Northern Irish and international status.

The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has become one of the most consistent and decorated competitive pipe bands in history. Though its philosophy has been competition based since its inception over 65 years ago, the band also performs at concerts, festivals, radio and television appearances, and civil and social functions.

The band has produced four highly successful albums to date: 
DébutLive in Concert, Unplugged and RE:CHARGED

For the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, the successes of today are a steady progression from humble roots. The band was founded in 1945 in the townland of Drumalig, a few miles from Carryduff on the outskirts of Belfast. A group of farmer’s sons had decided to form a band as a leisure pursuit in the wake of World War II, and they proposed to call their formation after one of the great heroes of the war, Bernard Law Montgomery. The youths wrote Field Marshal Montgomery to ask for permission to use his name. Not only was permission granted, but their hero even sent a ten shilling note as a personal contribution to the band’s funds. 

In the years to follow, the band successfully worked its way through the lower grades, led by FMM’s first pipe major Billy Maxwell. Billy was President of the band right up to his sad passing in 2013 and was a huge influence on the development of FMM into the competitive force it is today.

Billy was succeeded by Sandy Cuming, Ricky Newell, and eventually Richard Parkes, who took over with his brother Gordon as leading drummer in 1981. 45 years after its inception, the band won its first major championship in Grade 1 at the Cowal Championships in 1990. 

The band’s first World Championship win in 1992 catapulted Field Marshal Montgomery from the status of an up-and-coming local band in Northern Ireland to the pinnacle of the pipe band world. This first ‘Worlds’ win was followed by a second title in 1993, subsequently winning the elusive “Grand Slam” of all five major championship titles in a single season. This placed FMM as one of only a small number of bands who can claim such an achievement. 

Gordon Parkes stepped down as leading drummer in 1998, and was succeeded by Andrew Scullion, and in 2003 by current Drum Sergeant Keith Orr.

Over the years 2000-2009, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band rose to become the most dominant pipe band of the decade, securing 28 major championship wins, including four more World Championships (and five runners-up awards). 

This decade however was not all smooth sailing. In 2004, Pipe Major Richard Parkes suffered a stroke and the entire piping world waited to hear about the health of one of the most respected Pipe Majors in history. The band pulled together to support Richard, with Alastair Dunn stepping in to lead the band to victories at the Scottish and All Ireland Championships. In one of the pipe band world’s fairy-tale stories, Richard recovered his health and was able to lead the band to win the last three championships of the season, including FMM’s fourth World Championship title.

Already in the works but unbeknownst to Richard and the band, at the conclusion of 2004, Richard was awarded an MBE for his services to pipe band music in Northern Ireland: a great honour for the man who had changed the history of pipe bands in his country. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has often been dubbed “The Richard Parkes Success Story,” and the great respect for Richard from within his own band and from his competitors is as much a part of the band’s hallmark as is its list of prizes.

In the years that followed, FMM continued its record of competition success, winning the Champions of Champions award for the most consistency in a pipe band season in both 2009 and 2010.

The band regained the Worlds in 2011 before securing the title once again in 2012 and 2013 – taking the band’s record of World Championship victories to nine. During that period two further Grand Slams were also delivered, making FMM the only ever band to achieve such a feat more than once.

2013 was a special year with Keith Orr’s Drum Corps winning the World Drum Corps title for the first time in the band’s history and - courtesy of also winning the British and European titles - securing its second Champions of Champions Drum Corps award under Keith’s leadership.

Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is proud of its association with sponsors R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd and Premier Music International Ltd. Both provide the band with first-class products to showcase its talent, and their support is central to the band’s ongoing success.

Over the past 65+ years, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has risen to the top of the pipe band world. We are extremely grateful for the support we receive wherever we play and remain as driven and motivated as ever for the future. 

 

The Band’s Historic Timeline

Year Events
1945 FMMPB is formed: P/M William Maxwell, D/S Donald McKay, Piping Instructor William Wood (1945-1963), first drumming instructor Kit Reynolds.
1950-1975 Drum Sergeants Jim McMinn, Bill Russell, Jackson Shaw & Harry Russell.
1969 Richard & Gordon Parkes join Raffrey Pipe Band.
1970 FMM & Raffrey pipe bands amalgamate to form Freymont Pipe Band for competition purposes in Grade 3. P/M Alexander (Sandy) Cumming takes over as P/M of Freymont. D/S. Winston Mateer, John Rea drumming instructor. William Maxwell contunes as P/M of FMM for engagements.
1975 FMM reform under P/M Ricky Newell and D/S Richard Coffey.
1976 FMM are promoted to Grade 2.

Win World Championship in Grade 3.

2nd at the Cowal Championships in Grade 3.

1st in drumming at the Cowal Championships in Grade 3.

1978 1st in drumming at the Cowal Championship in Grade 2.
1979 Gordon Parkes takes over as D/S at the end of the season.

Win Northern Ireland Champion of Champions title in Grade 1 (Open).

2nd at the Cowal Championships in Grade 2.

1980 2nd at the Cowal Championships in Grade 2.
1981 Richard Parkes takes over as P/M mid-season.

2nd at the World Championships in Grade 2.

1983 Win All-Ireland Championship in Grade 2.
1985 After a successful season in Grade 2, FMM are promoted to Grade 1.

Win the Scottish Championships in Grade 2.

6th at the World Championships in Grade 2.

3rd at the Cowal Championships in Grade 2.

Win All-Ireland Championship in Grade 2.

1987 8th at the Grade 1 World Championships.
1988 10th at the World Championships.
1989 Win the All-Ireland Championship for the first time.

Win the Ulster Championship for the first time.

Win the Northern Ireland Champion of Champions title.

10th at the World Championships.

1990 Win the Cowal Championships - the band's first RSPBA Major title.

4th place at the World Championships.

2nd in drumming at the Cowal Championships.

1991 The band releases their first CD, entitled 'Début'.

Win the March, Strathspey & Reel at the World Championships.

4th place at the World Championships.

1992 Win the World Championships for the first time.

Win Cowal, British, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions.

1993 Win the 'Grand Slam' - World, Cowal, European, British, Scottish & Champion of Champions.

1st in drumming at the British Championships.

1995 Win the Scottish Championships.
1996 Release the 'FM Live in Concert' CD.
1997 Win the Cowal Championships.
1998 Andrew Scullion takes over as D/S at the end of the year.
1999 Win the European Championships.

1st in drumming at the British Championships.

2000 Win the European & Scottish Championships.

2nd in drumming at the World Championships.

Win RSPBA Champion of Champions drumming award.

2001 Win Cowal & European Championships.

1st in drumming at the Scottish Championships.

2002 Release the 'Unplugged' CD.

Keith Orr takes over as D/S at the end of the year.

Win third World Championship title.

Win Cowal, European, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions.

1st in drumming at the European Championships.

2nd in drumming at the World Championships.

2nd in drumming at the Cowal Championships.

2003 Win Scottish Championship & Champion of Champions titles.
2004 Richard Parkes suffers a stroke and recovers to take the band on to win the Worlds.

Richard Parkes is awarded an MBE for his services to pipe band music in Northern Ireland.

Win fourth World Championship title.

Win Cowal, European, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions.

Win the RSPBA Champion of Champions drumming award.

1st in drumming at the European Championships.

1st in drumming at the Scottish Championships.

2nd in drumming at the World Championships.

2nd in drumming at the Cowal Championships.

2005 Win the European & Scottish Championships.

1st in drumming at the European Championships.

2006 The band receives sponsorship from R G Hardie & Co Ltd.

Win fifth World Championship title.

Win British, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions titles.

2007 R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd design the 'Drumalig' Tartan especially for the band.

The band releases the "RE:CHARGED" CD.

Win sixth World Championship title.

2nd in drumming at the World Championships.

Win Cowal, European, British & RSPBA Champion of Champions.

2008 The band releases the 'REWIND:REPLAY' DVD which accompanies the RE:CHARGED CD.

Win European & Cowal championships.

1st in drumming at the European Championships.

2009 Win Cowal, European, British, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions.

1st in drumming at the European Championships.

2010 Win British, Scottish & RSPBA Champion of Champions.
2011

Win the 'Grand Slam' - IE. Scottish, British, European, World, Cowal, and RSPBA Champion of Champions in a single season - becoming the first pipe band in history to do this twice.

Richard Parkes celebrates 30 years at the helm of FMM.

1st in drumming in the Medley at the World Championships.

2012

Win eighth World Championship title

Win Scottish, British, and RSPBA Champion of Champions award

Win a historic 20th All-Ireland Championship

Leading Drummer Keith Orr celebrates his 10th season with the band Drum Corps RSPBA Champions of Champions runners up

2013

Win ninth World Championship title

Win 3rd Grand Slam & 12th RSPBA Champion of Champions award

Drum Corps win Worlds, British, European, All Ireland & Champions of Champions titles.

RE:CHARGED - Click here to buy online
 
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