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9 Mar 2005 08:49:18
This year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations will not only be special for the town’s Irish community, but also for the University of Luton Pipe Band, as it leads the annual parade with its first ever female band member.
Twenty-four year-old Olivia McLennan, from Lewisham in London, recently joined the University’s resident Pipe Band after reading about its successes in 2004.
“I’m very excited about joining one of the best Pipe Bands in England and I’m really looking forward to leading the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Luton,” said Olivia.
“The band did very well last year, winning first place in all but one of the England competitions. That is some achievement. Then I heard they came third in the All Ireland event, despite being up against very tough competition, so I decided to get in touch.”
A professional musician, Olivia also plays the saxophone and cello and is no stranger to playing the bagpipes, having played for Ringwood Pipe Band near Southampton.
Olivia has already joined her new band mates for the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association London and South of England quartet competition at Stotfold, on 27 February.
She said: “Taking part in this competition was nerve-racking because we were playing at such a high level. However, it was a good event to take part in before we go head-to-head with bands from Ireland, America, France, New Zealand and Australia later in the year, at the World’s Competition in Glasgow.”
Helping Olivia to practice for the celebrations on Sunday is Pipe Major Tony Doherty. He said: “Our door is always open to new members but we are particularly excited to have a female piper.
“It’s not unusual to come across women pipers in national and international competitions, but we have never had any women in the University Band until now. We are really looking forward to marching through Luton with Olivia and showing her one of the best St Patrick’s Day Parades in the region.”
The Band practices every week at the University’s School of Media Arts, and has been invited by the Luton Irish Forum to lead this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday 13 March.
Latest news» 2005» Mar» University of Luton Pipe Band bags first ever Female Member
