Centenary celebrations for band members at Stormont

Centenary celebrations for band members at Stormont

6 September 2023

MEMBERS of Inch Flute Band will be the guests of honour at a civic reception being held tonight at Stormont’s parliament buildings.

The band is celebrating its 100th anniversary with tonight’s event sponsored by South Down MLA Diane Forsythe, with the guest artist Rachel Hutchinson. Ian Crozier from the Ulster Scots Agency will be the guest speaker.

The musical tradition within the Parish of Inch dates as far back as the late 1800s.

Archived material recorded Inch Flute and the Maxwell Conservative Flute bands gracing the King’s highway in the year 1902 when a new flag for Bells Hill LOL No 32 was unfurled at the Perceval Maxwell Estate in Finnebrogue. 

Although always known as Inch Flute band, the original bass drum carries the name Inch Conservative Flute band and the Royal Coat of Arms. The band attended its first Twelfth of July parade in 1924 which was held in Ballygowan. Then, the band’s uniform consisted of a Sunday best suit and obligatory cloth cap. 

Although the band was responsible for running itself and for raising its own funds, the Lodge did provide assistance. 

The band was paid the princely sum of £1 for its services on the Twelfth of July 1925 in Comber and again in 1931, they gave the band three pounds and five shillings towards the cost of purchasing drums. 

The band was also given permission to write to their local MPs seeking subions. 

There would not have been as many parades in those days however on June 25, 1931, the band attended a banner unfurling for Killyleagh LOL 1215 and the following year, paraded in Crossgar when a new banner was also unfurled for their own Lodge, Inch LOL No 430.

Most Lodges and bands in rural areas are made up from members of local families and Inch are no different. 

Whilst its perhaps a little unfair to single anyone out, one major family contributor in those early days was the Lennon family. Bro Henry Lennon was a member of the Ulster Volunteers and served with the 13th Royal Irish Rifles during the First World War. 

Luckily, he survived the war, returned to Inch and settled to raise a large family.

Henry was a founder member of the band and if you were a Lennon, it was almost compulsory to join. At one stage there were 17 members of his extended family in the band. 

Locals used to call it the Lennon band and there has never been a period since 1923 that we have not had members of the family within its ranks. The band now has fifth generation members of the Lennon family which is a remarkable achievement.