One sleep to go … and the forecast actually looks OK

 

We are packing, as are most families, and trying to figure out what sort of weather to expect.

Rain is always a good bet, and the forecasts have for several days now been wet and gloomy. It has apparently not been the best of summers in Ulster or Scotland.

But, a look at the BBC weather report only today — at 4:01 Tuesday — suggests it might not be too bad at all. It is actually calling for sunshine and 21 Celsius on Saturday, for the Ulster championships. Maybe this will give the band a leg up over the Ulster bands who appear to be far more accustomed to playing with rain running down the drones???

Luggage

There still seems to be some confusion and befuddlement over just what you can bring on the Air Transat flight.

Here is what the airline says:

What is the weight limit on checked baggage?
There is no limit on the number of pieces that may be accepted, but there is a limit on weight: the overall weight of checked baggage may not exceed the weight shown in the Baggage grid under the “Checked Baggage” section, according to the point of origin and destination. The overall measurement of each checked-in piece (length + width + height) must be less than 62 in (158 cm) and weigh less than 32 kg (70 lb.). Passengers with baggage exceeding the baggage allowance will be charged CA$10 (Canada to/from Southern destinations including USA) or CA$7 (Canada to/from all the other destinations) or equivalent per kilogram at the time of check-in at Air Transat counters.

In addition to the free baggage allowance, you are allowed to carry some sporting equipment free of charge as shown on the list in the Baggage grid. Please note that only one item listed in the grid will be transported free of charge to a maximum of 20 kg (44 lb.) per passenger and personal baggage cannot be substituted for the free sporting equipment allowance. Should the sport item combined with the personal baggage exceed the free allowance per person, applicable excess baggage fees will apply.

How many pieces of carry-on luggage can I bring with me?
Passengers are allowed one piece of carry-on baggage, which must not exceed 10 kg (22 lb.) in weight, or 23 x 40 x 51 cm (9 x 16 x 20 in) in size including wheels and handles. Any article of baggage that exceeds either of these limits must be checked. For passengers in Club Class, the maximum weight is 15 kg (33 lb.). All pointed and/or sharp objects or cutting instruments such as knives, scissors, knife-like objects, straight razors, ice picks or similar articles are forbidden in the aircraft cabin. Therefore, we kindly ask you to store them in your checked baggage to avoid having these articles confiscated at the security checkpoint. Also, to reduce the time spent at the security checkpoint, we recommend that you reduce the number and size of carry-on baggage that you bring with you.

There is a detailed grid that lays out what is allowed on this page. 

My advice: pack light, limit your number and size of bags, and don’t whine at the airport if you discover you are over limit and have to pay extra. You were warned by Jane months ago and you’re warned again here.

Moira

The Ulster championships are being held just outside of Lisburn, in a big park in the village of Moira.

It looks like a nice place, and the village has a real history to it. If, by some miracle, we have a hot, sunny day, there are lots of trees in what is called the Moira Demense. For parents and band groupies, it looks tlke there are shops and cafes as a diversion from watching the tuning circle.

A local church has a very good website about the history of the village and area.

The Crown

 

About 45 people, a healthy percentage of our traveling mob, are going out for dinner our first night in Belfast – at one of the best pubs in the world.

The Crown Liquor Saloon is a Victorian gem in the heart of the capital.

Where else, says the website, would you find a lovely burnished primrose yellow, red and gold ceiling, a floor laid in a myriad of mosaic tiles, brocaded walls ubiquitous highly patterned tiles, vigorous wood carvings throughout, ornate mirrors, wooden columns with Corinthian capitals and feathered motifs in gold?

Painted and etched glass is everywhere you look, vivid in amber and carmine painted shells, fairies, pineapples, fleurs-de-lis and clowns incidentally,the colourful decorative windows fronting the bar were originally intended to shield customers from inquisitive passers-by.

The long Balmoral red granite-topped ‘Alter’ bar is divided by columns and faced with gaily coloured tiles and a heated foot rest. Look out for the huge casks with their polished brass taps. Save for the inscriptions in English on the Mahogany cabinet behind the bar

Hopefully the jetlag won’t be too crushing and we’ll be in for a good evening there and maybe some of the other traditional pubs in the area. 

Big trip = big banner

 

Shelley Travis has a piper, Tyler, in the Grade Five band and works in the printing industry. She has kindly been getting us vinyl banners for the band at no charge, and just handed off a new banner for the Grade Two band to take overseas.

The deal is: printers do it gratis using available stock and time. Though a combination of that, what Shelley could get us was a monster vinyl banner. It looks to be about 16 feet wide by 5 feet high. It is a little big to hanging out a window, but may make a great backdrop for the Ulster concert.

If you see Shelley, please show your appreciation.

More detail on Lisburn concert

From the monthly Pipe Band column in Belfast’s News Letter newspaper:

The RSPBA Northern Ireland Branch are running a concert on Friday, August 3, in Trinity Methodist Church Hall.

Featured on the night will be the Hamilton Police Pipe Band from Hamilton Ontario, Canada, and The College of Piping Pipe Band from Summerside PEI, Canada.

This event is the night before the Ulster Championship where both bands will be competing in their respective grades.

Also appearing is solo artist Ryan Canning, a piper from the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

The concert starts at 8pm and tickets are priced £5 and £3 concession.

Band draws tough qualifier heat, but so what …

Well, go big or go home, I guess.

The RSPBA finally released its draw for the worlds. The band is in what is, by far, the tougher of the two heats – with Ulster powerhouses Ravara, Culleybacky and Seven Towers on our side, as well as Niagara Police and Scotland’s Denny and Dunipace.

The band plays just before noon, which is good news for anyone who thought the qualifiers might be running early in the morning. Noon is humane.

There are 27 bands entered, hence the qualifier. If we were still in Grade 3A, there was also a qualifier — as there are 34 bands in that group.

If you want to win the Worlds you have to be on top of the pile, no matter how many bands. So easy heat or tough, the band still needs to have a couple of great runs if its to hear its name at the end of that day. 

Grade 2 – Heat 1
01. 11.00 Niagara Regional Police – Canada
02. 11.09 Mauchline and District Caledonian
03. 11.18 City of St Andrews
04. 11.27 Killeen
05. 11.36 Denny and Dunipace
06. 11.45 Ravara
07. 11.54 Hamilton Police – Canada
08. 12.03 Seven Towers
09. 12.12 The Pipes and Drums 1st Royal Engineers – Sweden
10. 12.21 The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
11. 12.30 Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary
12. 12.39 Pheonix Honda Glasgow Skye
13. 12.48 Cullybackey
14. 12.57 University of Bedforshire

Adjudicators – D Clark, A Grant, S Steele and M McKenzie

Grade 2 – Heat 2
01. 11.00 Strathclyde Fire and Rescue
02. 11.09 The Band Club Sydney – Australia
03. 11.18 Dumbarton and District
04. 11.27 Grampian Police
05. 11.36 Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
06. 11.45 Lochgelly High School F.P
07. 11.54 Torphichen and Bathgate
08. 12.03 Lomond and Clyde
09. 12.12 Oran Mor – USA
10. 12.21 Coalburn I.O.R
11. 12.30 Bucksburn and District
12. 12.39 City of Dunedin – USA
13. 12.48 Buchan

Adjudicators – T Sloan, J Wilson, A Dowling and A Aitken

Don’t plan on packing much for the trip home

 

You already know how skimpy the baggage allowances are for the flight home from Glasgow.

The restrictions on what you can take for carry-on are also tight, though I am not sure if the terror incident caused this or whether it was already in effect.

The full details are here, but suffice to say you get one carry-on, and one carry-on only. That includes purses, so plan to stuff those in the carry-on.

Where we’re staying in Belfast

Jane Watson has us set up at the University of Ulster – Jordanstown campus.

To quote that school:

The 114-acre Jordanstown campus is situated in the borough of Newtownabbey, a few miles to the north of Belfast. The grounds lie at the foot of the South Antrim hills, and the land fronting the main buildings slopes down to the shores of Belfast Lough. The excellent road system of the greater Belfast region means that Jordanstown is only a few minutes drive from the capital, allowing students to take advantage of the social life and living accommodation available in the city.

Also close by is Carrickfergus, with its perfectly preserved 12-century castle, Elizabethan parish church and a modern marina. Heading farther north, a journey along the 60 miles of coast road is rewarding for its spectacular views.

The train station is about a 10 minute walk and then it is 20-25 minutes by rail into the Central Belfast station. The tickets were not terribly expensive, from what I saw online.

The competition

Someone brought along a camcorder to the British Championships at Ballymena, Northern Ireland and taped most or all of the Grade 2 bands playing their MSRs.

They are, not surprisingly, very good. But so is this band.

Want to hear and see what they sound like?

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=PHGSPB&p=r