{"id":2250,"date":"2013-08-08T10:26:50","date_gmt":"2013-08-08T09:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2250"},"modified":"2013-08-08T10:26:50","modified_gmt":"2013-08-08T09:26:50","slug":"shankill-protestant-boys-flute-band","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2250","title":{"rendered":"SHANKILL PROTESTANT BOYS FLUTE BAND"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Shankill Protestant Boys Flute Band\u2014or as they are more famously known now\u2014The SPB\u2014were formed in the Shankill area in 1980. \u00a0The reasons for forming the band were much more than simply establishing another flute band\u2014the Shankill\u00a0had many at that time.\u00a0 The men behind the formation had other ideas.\u00a0 They wanted to promote and express their Protestant culture and also remember the brave Volunteers and Servicemen who had fought and died during two World Wars\u2014in particular during the Somme offensive\u2014and to remember those in more recent times who perished during the conflict in the war against violent Republicanism.\u00a0<\/strong>
\nSadly many of those who served the band since their beginnings 33 years ago are no longer with us\u2014either passed away or in many instances murdered.\u00a0 However of the original founders around ten remain.\u00a0 Some, remarkably are still marching while others retain honorary membership.\u00a0 Gary Lenaghan\u2014The Hunters\u2014Harold Reynolds-The Young\u2019s—The Freel\u2019s\u2014John McQuade\u2014Derek Mawhinney\u2014The Finlay\u2019s were all there at the start and remain heavily involved today.
\n\"\"<\/a>The SPB <\/strong>were the first flute band to receive and carry the colours of the 1st<\/sup> Battalion of the Ulster Volunteer Force\u2014in 1982\u2014and to this day carry those colours with pride and dignity.\u00a0 It is a commonly known fact that these colours are carried on\u00a0ALL occasions\u2014at no time are they excluded\u2014and in the past this has caused some difficulties\u2014with both the Police and indeed with certain sections of the Loyal Orders.\u00a0 At one stage during the Eighties the band came into conflict with the Scottish Orange Institution which forced the band off the road because of their refusal to parade without their beloved colours.\u00a0 Since then the SPB have not walked in Scotland with the Orange.
\nAround the same time and with the concept of the Supergrass system being implemented\u00a0the band became heavily involved with Families For Legal Rights.\u00a0 For many weeks the band paraded every might to and from Crumlin Road jail supporting FFLR in their quest to have those spuriously incarcerated released.\u00a0 This eventually happened.\u00a0 Some years later the band were also conspicuous in their full support for the Portadown District during the Drumcree dispute and continued to support that particular battle long after many others had given up the fight.
\n\"\"<\/a>To see the SPB<\/strong> now with the massed ranks and uniforms that cost in excess of \u00a350,000 is to look at aristocrats on the marching band scene.\u00a0 They are held in extremely high esteem when Blood and Thunder bands are mentioned but that respect has grown and been nurtured over the years and it shouldn\u2019t be forgotten that the band had very humble beginnings.\u00a0 Long before the classy uniforms of today they had to make do with plain purple jumpers, black trousers, badges that were manufactured in Harland and Wolff and a selection of homemade hats!!
\nIt is with some satisfaction and great pride that the band see themselves as a \u201cfamily band\u201d and this is reflected in the membership.\u00a0 Currently there is an age range from 2-60 years old\u2014there are fathers and sons\u2014grandfathers and grandsons and one particular family\u00a0can boast\u00a0ten members in the band!!\u00a0 In today\u2019s climate and with\u00a0the perception of what Loyalist marching bands stand for, it is worth recounting the generous nature of the SPB.<\/strong>\u00a0 Not only to current or former bandsmen\u2014for whom they have helped out in times of need\u2014paying mortgages\u2014helping at Christmas and indeed paying funeral costs\u2014but in a wider capacity.\u00a0 Many detractors would fail to be aware that in the course of their history the band have raised and donated in excess of \u00a3100,000 to charitable causes.\u00a0 How many other bands can make this proud claim? No wonder the band consider themselves to be one big family.
\nAnother consideration that goes unnoticed about the marching band fraternity is the level of musicianship involved.\u00a0 Over the years the SPB\u2014both collectively and individually\u2014have gained many musical awards and can also lay claim to playing for Queen Elizabeth!!
\nTo be a member of the Shankill Protestant Boys is very special.\u00a0 And to march through your own area nad in front of your own\u00a0community with massed crowds cheering and clapping your every note and step, certainly makes the hairs stand on end and the heart beat faster.\u00a0 Currently band membership stands at 125\u2014a figure that most bands can only dream of.\u00a0 To attend functions the hire of a double deck bus isn\u2019t unusual.\u00a0 On Orange parades we do our best to help the Loyal Orders out by not charging the usual marching or transport fee\u2019s although many would make a donation to the band.\u00a0 A greater emphasis is now being directed towards historical and cultural education within the band.\u00a0 In recent times many of the members, both young and old, have taken part in educational packages which has included trips to the Boyne Heritage Centre and the Battlefields and Cemeteries of the Somme. \u00a0To join the SPB now is to take part in much more than playing in a band\u2014it is as much about learning discipline, culture and history and also about education.
\n\"\"<\/a>Thirty three years on the Shankill Protestant Boys are a well established flute band and greatly received throughout that particular culture.\u00a0 We also see ourselves at the forefront in upholding our proud history and culture.\u00a0 We are a very community orientated group and we will continue to serve that community in the best way possible.\u00a0 The band will go from strength to strength in the coming years and as a premier band we welcome those future challenges.<\/p>\n

TILL WE DIE. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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