Local pipers win World Pipe Band title

Date: 8/25/2016

WILBRAHAM – It’s not often that someone can legitimately claim to be among the world’s best in a given field or endeavor but three men from Wilbraham certainly can.

Liam Nunes and Finn and Liam McCool, all members of the Worcester Kilter Band, recently competed in the 2016 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland and came back with the first place trophy of their division.

Not only did the band as a whole win their competition, but the band’s drum corps won an award of excellence as well, Nunes and Liam McCool explained to Reminder Publications.

More than 230 bands from 15 countries with an estimated 8,000 musicians competed in the two-day event.

The band is based in Worcester but there are members coming from Connecticut, the Hudson Valley of New York and New York City. The band practiced in Scotland for a week before the competition with additional members from Halifax, Canada, and Scotland.

How were the men attracted to the drums and pipes? Nunes, whose mother is from Scotland, explained he has been going to highland game events his entire life.

“I thought bagpiping was really cool,” he added.

For Liam McCool, his older brother played the drums in a pipe band and he was “next in line.” He also plays the piano and the accordion.

McCool said, referring to the intense rehearsal schedule, “So much time for just three minutes.”

The band obviously made those three minutes count, though.

Neither man thought the band had won. McCool said the attitude was “better luck next year” before the band headed to the beer tent. He explained that after a performance, band members traditionally form a huddle and discuss what they had done incorrectly and how to fix it.

Instead they heard the announcement they had clinched their division.

There were 35,000 people in attendance and McCool said the other bands stayed and listened to them.

“That was a compliment from them taking the time to listen to us,” Nunes said.

The two men praised the leaders of the band, Pipe Major David Methven and Drum Sargent Colum Lundt.

The result was a trophy for the band and individual medals for the members and, McCool added, “bragging rights.”

For Nunes and McCool, their plans for the immediate future include continuing their participation in the pipe band. Nunes will be joining the Navy next year and intends to save his leave time in order to play. McCool is enrolling in Liberty University where he will study biomedical sciences.

For more information on the Worcester Kiltie Band, which is marking its centennial this year, go to www.wkpb.org.