Over the past few years Ballinamallard Accordion Band have been going from strength to strength.

During the summer the Band took part in a competition at the Birches in Portadown and the Band came away from this with four awards - two firsts, a second and a third place.

Gareth Black came first in the Bass Drum competition while Leslie Wilson was awarded first in Drum Major category.

The Band itself came second for 'Style and Appearance' while the Ballinamallard Accordion Band came third in the Best Band Overall category - a wonderful achievement considering the number of bands at the competition and the high standard that was on display.

All the members of the Band are delighted with these achievements and this success serves to further encourage the Band on in the music and performances. And, one feels, some of the credit for this must go to Band Master Ken Nixon, who is ably assisted by his brother Gordon.

The band prides itself on being a very family orientated band and several families are represented by three or four members in the band. No family is a better example of this than Chairman David Black who, although he doesn't play himself, has a daughter and three sons within the ranks of Ballinamallard Accordion Band.

And one particular family spans three generations within the band. Drum Major Leslie Wilson's young grandson, Lewis Jennings, is also in the band and Lewis is the third generation of their family to be involved with the Ballinamallard Accordion Band.

Leslie is one of the leading drum majors in Fermanagh and is also one of the longest serving members in Ballinamallard Accordion Band.

David Black says that Leslie joined the Band back in the '60s and that, over the years, a daughter of Leslie's played in the Band for a time.

Now, Leslie's grandson, Lewis, is a member of the band and, for the past three years his granddad has been training him up to be a Drum Major too.

For the uninitiated the Drum Major is 'the man up front giving the orders' and Leslie has been giving out the orders for many, many years and is training up his grandson to take over from him one day.

David says that Lewis comes along anytime the band have a function or a parade and the eight year old is very interested in the band and loved being a part of anything the band does.

David Black explains that there are now 22 accordion players and 4 side drummers and bass drummers in the band. In addition to this there are six or seven young people currently in training to become full members of the band.

David goes on to say the band also owe a musical debt to Robin Paget, the Band's Musical Director who writes all the music for the band himself.

The Band practice every week in the hall in Ballinamallard and they are already starting to rehearse for this year's Carol Services, which will be upon us at the start of December.