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Billy Dunwoody MBE

Northern Ireland is famous for its flute band music and those involved in the top echolons of that art - the part music flute bands and their soloists. Billy Dunwoody was one of the best known exponents in the teaching of the instrument.

Known to all and sundry as Billy, he has the credentials of legions of top class players to prove his worth, and when we say he coached James Galway and Colin Fleming (flautist with the Ulster Orchestra) and Jennifer Sturgeon (a finalist in the television's young musician of the year competition) we may add no more in that respect.

Billy, was taught by his father, Billy Snr., who was the conductor of the 39th Old Boy's Flute Band, and when he retired from playing and conducting, Billy Jnr., took over and transformed the '39th' into a cross-community group, dropped the word band from its title and it became the 39th Old Boy's Ensemble.

But all those changes only acted as an incentive to produce better music and musicians, and in that respect the late Billy Dunwoody was a colossus. He was loved and respected by all his pupils from James Galway down.  And every time that James visited his native Belfast, a visit to the 39th's band-room at Donegall Pass and to his early mentor - was a must.

Over the years a number of seminars and master class sessions for the flute have been held in Belfast by Galway and very often Billy was the mind-spring behind all these ventures. He always wanted the best for his pupils and all flautists and he arranged the best tutors for them.

Billy Dunwoody, was also a part-time music teacher at Methodist College in Belfast. An electrician to trade, Billy had another hobby - football. He was trainer to the Co-op Amateur League Club in the days when Jimmy McIlroy, Billy Neill and Billy Bingham were coming through the ranks.

Billy, was awarded the MBE for his service to Music.  He died in December 1995, aged 71 years.