Concert celebrates 40 years of Manx pipe band

The band currently has 20 members from across the island

A concert is set to take place to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Isle of Man's pipe band.

Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums, which was formed in October 1984, is holding he at Peel Centenary Centre at 19:30 BST.

Over the years, the band has played for state occasions, including Queen Consort Camilla's visit to the island earlier this year, as well as memorials, weddings and funerals.

Long-standing member of the band John Shakespeare said that there was "nothing better than hearing and being part of a marching band".

He said he was "very proud to be a member for 40 years" and the band was "one family and we do look after each other".

'All levels of piping'

Formed by Sharon Sutton, the band was created as part of a vision to take a bagpipe group from the island to Lorient Festival in Brittany to play Manx tunes.

It was initially named "Cair Vie", which is Manx for fair winds, or safe travels, but changed its name to Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums to reflect its shift in focus to Scottish reels and marches.

However, Mr Shakespeare said a highlight of the group's calendar remained its annual performance on Tynwald Hill at the end of Tynwald Day, closing the night with the Manx National Anthem, which was a "very proud moment".

Members of the band were self-taught, as there were no tutors on the island, and over the years the numbers of members as well as the proportion of pipers and drummers had fluctuated, he said.

Saturday's anniversary concert would show "all levels of piping", from people who had been playing for just over one year, to those who had played for all 40 years of the group's existence, he added.

The concert is also due to feature performances from director of the national Piping Centre in Scotland Finlay McDonald and Malcolm Stitt, a traditional musician who is a member of the group Deaf Shepard.

A slideshow with pictures of the band over the years will be displayed during the event.