Londonderry prepares for pipe band festival

9 March 2009 -

The University of Ulster is to host its first ever Foyle Piping Festival later this month.

Running from March 26th to 28th, the festival will see Londonderry, also known as Derry, stage a series of masterclasses, talks and workshops alongside performances from bands including the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band from Hillhall in County Down and the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band from Dublin.

Ten local bands from across the north-west and Belfast will descend on the walled city to perform a spectacular Foyle Tattoo to close the event on March 28th.

Dr Liz Doherty, a lecturer in traditional Irish music at the university's Magee campus, says that the festival is a good way of celebrating Northern Ireland's diverse musical history.

"The idea for the tattoo came from the famous Edinburgh Tattoo. Ours will be much smaller but no less impressive," she adds.

Londonderry will also celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17th with a community-based carnival event.