Over a century ago in 1879, Corcrain Flute Band was formed by a group of young men from the Corcrain area of Portadown, Co. Armagh, the first instruments being the once familiar tin whistles. They practised on the railway embankment at Corcrain during the summer and in the winter in the private house of Tom Montgomery a founder member.

In 1907 the Bandsman's Association was formed, later to become the North of Ireland Bands Association, with Corcrain being one of the founder members. The Band competed in the Association's first contest in the same year and are one of the very few bands from that contest still competing today. During the first world war quite a few bandsmen answered the call, many never to return, but the band managed to exist albeit with a depleted membership. During the twenties and thirties the band again began to flourish and subsequently were able to purchase a new set of Boehm system flutes, replacing the old simple system  and further success in the band contests was achieved under the guidance of the late W.B. Blythe.

Sadly, the band became depleted once again at the outbreak of the second world war, and it was not until the mid-fifties that the band recovered  under the leadership of the late Ardwell Donning, who had the notable distinction of teaching Sir James Galway to play the flute.

In 1966 Ronald Bothwell took over the baton and under his guidance the band quickly developed from an intermediate outfit to a top-class senior section in 1974, they won the ultimate accolade in the flute band world, the Senior World Championship, a feat they were to repeat on two more occasions, this time under the leadership of Drew Rowan, the solo flute player with the band. In 1977 the band won seven out of eight sections in the small ensemble and solo contest organised by the Flute Band League of Northern Ireland.

During a period of some 15-20 years from 1974, the band made numerous radio broadcasts and appeared on BBC TV's 'Sounding Bands and Voices' programme. An ensemble from the band appeared on Thames TV programme 'Opportunity Knocks' gaining third place in 1975, in addition, the band was involved in many concerts, church services, and community parades locally and across the province.

MENU