Following Murley Silver Band's recent success in becoming Northern Ireland Champions, they are now bound for Stavanger in Norway to compete in the European Brass Band Championships (EBBC) over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

The Fivemiletown band will represent Northern Ireland at this prestigious event. The band will perform a 30 minute programme including a specially commissioned contest piece, along with a variety of concert music. The main soloist will be euphonium player Boris Pinto.

This weekend the Band are planning a 10-hour sponsored music marathon on Saturday 19th April to be held at the Wesleyan Hall in Fivemiletown as a fund-raising event for the upcoming European tour.

The event will open with a band performance at 10:00am and a range of music will be performed throughout the day, including choral singing, solo vocal music, pipe music, piano music and a brass ensemble.

Cavanaleck Pipe band will also perform in the evening and the event will finish with a combined parade of Murley and Cavanaleck in Fivemiletown at 7:00pm.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event at any stage throughout the day. Details are available on the Band's website or through the secretary.

This is a very exciting and busy time for the band as they have been involved in several other competitions throughout the spring period, including an entertainments contest recently held in the Valley Hotel sponsored by G R White and Son Electrical Contracts and the annual Brass Band League of Ireland competition held in Glengormley.

A souvenir brochure, which aims to capture some of the Band's recent history especially in regard to competition work, has been compiled and copies are available through the band secretary, Ann Bloomfield. Contact details are available at www.murleyband.co.uk

The band members and committee wohave thanked local businesses for their very generous support in recent fund raising efforts.

Many local businesses have contributed to this production and Murley Silver Band are very grateful for this financial support as well as continued general support from throughout the community.