Glass ceiling shattered at the 2025 Dooagh Pipe Band Awards

DPB on the Ball

21 Mar 2025 — 5 min read

For the first time ever, a Keel man has won the Dooagh Pipe Band Founders' Cup. The winner, Brian Gielty, said "I am delighted and honoured to be awarded this trophy. It's a proud moment for me and for my family." Mr Gielty's achievement cannot be overestimated and shows that through hard work and determination, it is possible to overcome adversity to rise to the very top. Mr Gielty went on to say: "I have broken the final taboo, and hope that this award can serve as an inspiration for others to follow in my footsteps."

In the awards categories voted on the day by band members, there were a number of upsets. Hamilton, who seems to go by the single name - like Neymar or Napoleon. Or Prince before he turned himself into a symbol - was installed in pre-market betting as hot favourite for Best Dressed. However, the excessive number of wardrobe malfunctions that put paid to his chances led instead to suspicions of market manipulation. Eventual winner in this category, Maeibh McNamara, was gracious in victory. And had nothing to do with everything that went wrong for Hamilton. Nothing.

Owen McNamara was another who was looking to defend his crown. Expectations were that his "Out of Step" win from last year would be carried through comfortably to this year's "By the Wrong". However, in an unexpected turn of events, Orla McNamara came out on top as winner, showing that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

The hotly contested Beard of the Year category saw a repeat of last year's win in Patrick Fadian. We intended to catch up with Mr Fadian to discuss his beard maintenance routine, but it became clear throughout the day that Mr Fadian has developed the unexpected skill of simultaneously grooming his beard and playing his bagpipes. There's no competing with that!

The Oldest Swinger in Town category saw a very deserved winner in Michael McNamara, who proved victorious in the face of stiff competition.

The Latecomer award was one category that we knew would be difficult to predict this year as serial offender John McNamara was away and would be busy being late for a parade in New York. Eventual winner, Saoirse McHugh, was delighted to pick up the trophy, and has vowed to best Mr McNamara should he challenge her in a fair fight for the title next year.

The awards were introduced for the first time last year, and have proven wildly successful. This success has encouraged some to go to extreme lengths to try and secure the win.

Perhaps the most blatant example of audience manipulation was by Tommy English who, in a determined attempt to retain his crown as Rear of the Year, had his kilt “accidentally” slip just as he was to kick off proceedings in the morning. The strategy was ultimately successful, and the fact that such a manoeuvre ensured victory has caused consternation in some quarters as to how competitors might up the ante next year.

In similar vein, Entertainers of the Year, “Righteous” brothers Thomas and Michael John Fadian, developed a foolproof strategy in their quest for a trophy. First by building an entertainment foundation throughout the day, then by choosing the optimum time to deliver the coup de grâce to would-be challengers: a breath-taking rendition of “You’ve lost that loving feeling” on the descent into the Wavecrest - and the voting! One can only stand back and admire the audacity.

There was controversy in the Family Affair award which was won by the McNamara family from Pollagh. The winner of this award was to be the family with the most members participating in the Pipe Band on St. Patrick’s Day. Research in advance of the vote had indicated that the McNamara family from Achill Sound would prevail in this category due to, well, actually having the most members participating in the Pipe Band on St. Patrick’s Day. Calls for the result to be challenged in court fell on deaf ears, as preliminary investigations failed to uncover flaws in the vote counting process. A spokesperson for the McNamara family from Achill Sound reluctantly accepted the outcome of the vote, saying that the result is a perfect demonstration of modern democracy in action.

Newcomer Edward Johnston pulled off a spectacular victory in the Hair of the Year category. One of the purposes of awards ceremonies is to drive innovation and raise standards year on year. But Mr Johnston can bask in the glory of his win, secure in the knowledge that there is literally no room for improvement.

Finally, our Hide and Seek champion, Kate O’Malley, can count herself unfortunate to have succeeded in the category. A successful Hide and Seek competitor is very good at hiding. Sadly for our winner, she was in fact very bad at hiding, and was exposed by pretty much everybody when she tried to surreptitiously rejoin the band in Keel.

Dooagh Pipe Band Chairman, David McNamara, was effusive in his praise for the winners, saying: “The awards are designed to showcase the best in Dooagh Pipe Band, and I’m delighted to see the enthusiasm with which competitors have embraced the challenge. I’d especially like to commend the winners in each category who have gone above and beyond expectations in order to secure victory. I look forward to next year’s awards when I hope standards will be raised even higher. Well, except for Latecomer obviously. And, thinking about it, the By the Wrong category. Or indeed the Hide and Seek category. In fact, on further reflection, I think I’ll have a word with some people.”