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HISTORYOur band traces its roots back to the melody flute band formed in Poyntzpass in 1884. This band was known originally as the "Queen Victoria Flute Band". They were a uniformed band and wore a smart Hussar type uniform with pill box caps After the first world war the committee sold the one keyed flutes and obtained a set for part music playing. The name of the band then changed to "Poyntzpass Conservative Flute Band" . This band enjoyed a period of considerable support during the period between the two world wars and in fact at that time there were two flute bands in the village with the Saint Patrick's Flute Band also being in existence at that time so Poyntzpass had no shortage of flute players
The Flute band continued for a period following the second world war but with declining membership and the demands of maintaining a strong flute band becoming more difficult the decision was made to change to brass instruments. The Flute band paraded for the last time on Remembrance Sunday 1950 and in 1951 the band changed to silver instruments and became known as Poyntzpass Silver Band. A number of the flute players learned to play brass instruments and continued to support the Silver band for a number of years. The last of these men retired from active membership during the 1970s. The black uniform, pictured below, with gold braiding was the silver band's first uniform. Back Row: Jim Loughlin, John McKee, Charlie Halliday, Maxwell Smith, Brian Fegan, ______, Roy Fegan, John Little. Middle Row: Davy Cairns, John Huddleston, Jim Brown, ____________, John Fegan, Albert Shanks, Joe Atkinson, Joe Moorhead, George Loughlin. Front Row: Edmund Loughlin, Sydney Hall, Watson Dillon, Joe McKee, Joe McComb, Billy Lyttle, Harry Smith, Davy Atkinson, Leslie McDowell (Conductor) Poyntzpass Silver Band 1961 The band has continued from strength to strength and is practically an institution in the village and surrounding districts. Girls have been joining the band since 1979 and at times have formed the majority of the membership. The 1980 group photograph shows a large number of female members. In 1972 the band had purchased a set of new red uniforms and this is the uniform in the following picture.
Back Row: Clifford Whiteside, Arnold Huddleston, Rodney Sterritt, Cyril Whiteside, Norman Ingram, Francie Henry, Maurice Reid, Fred Ferris, John Hynds, Finlay Reid, Third Row: Kenneth Morton, Bill Reid, Rodney Whiteside, Philip Allen, Nigel Whiteside, Second Row: Sammy Cochrane (Conductor), Derek Poole, Melanie Brown, Donna McMullan, Shirleen Lutton, Emerald Lutton, Freda Brown, Angela Woolsey, Audrey Shanks, Richard Whiteside, Jim Mark, Derek Shanks, Front Row: Faith Thomas, Neville Ingram, Maxine Lutton, Mervyn Ingram, Alfred Allen, Selina McClelland. Poyntzpass Silver Band 1980 In 1984 the band changed it's uniform again staying with the red colour but the material chosen was doeskin which was recommended to look good for a longer period. We changed from black belts and music bags to white belts and music pouches attached to the waist belts. This uniform is pictured below in the 1994 group photograph of the band.
Back Row: Derek Poole, Kara Henry, Emma Patterson, Amanda Patterson, Nicola Cowan, John Hynds, Ronnie Thompson, Francie Henry, Paul Quinn, Middle Row: David Cowan, Dale Poole, Kieth Poole, Finlay Reid, Jonathon Poole, Cyril Whiteside, John Douglas, David Douglas, Kenneth Morton, Edward Posnett, Front Row: Richard Whiteside, Stephen Posnett, Elaine Loughlin, Anne Scott, Christopher Whiteside, Richard James Whiteside, Ryan Whiteside, Rodney Whiteside, Melanie Geary, Arnold Huddleston, Leslie Thompson. Poyntzpass Silver Band 1994 In 1995 we were successful in obtaining a grant from the Arts Council For Northern Ireland and together with a sizable contribution from our own funds we purchased 19 new instruments. These were all top quality instruments and they have encouraged the band greatly for the future. It is our intention to eventually replace all of the older instruments hopefully with further Arts Council assistance. The band is a member of the South West Down Band's Association, The Brass Band League and the North of Ireland Band's Association. In 1994 and 1998 the band won the Grade 5 Irish Championship at the N.I.B.A. annual Irish Championship Contest held in the Ulster Hall in Belfast and have won the County Fermanagh Brass band contest in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 they also won the section for brass bands at the Portadown Musical festival. In their Jubilee year the band gained first prize in the Grade Four section at the Brass Band League Annual championships in March 2001.They were again successful in retaining the Grade 4 Brass Band League title in March 2002 and March 2007.They have also been placed in the prizes in a number of occasions having been place 2nd twice at the Brass Band League Spring Festival and were in the same position in 2003 at the NIBA Irish Championship contest. The highlight of the bands' contesting career to date has been their success in winning the Grade 4 Irish Championship in the Ulster Hall, Belfast on Saturday 28th October 2006. Over the years the Silver band has had a number of conductors with Mr. J. Clugston being the first after the changeover from flute. He was succeeded by Mr. S McDowell, Mr. S. Cochrane, Mr. F. Mitchell and Mr. Dessie Watson. Other conductors have stood in for short periods.
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