Muff Youth Accordion Band

Muff Accordion Band established in 1982 grew out of the Muff Sports and Youth Festival which was established by Bernard Breslin and a committee of local residents.

The current membership of the band stands at 42 members; the biggest outing by the band was at a St. Patrick's Day Festival Parade in Letterkenny in 1984 with 60 band members present.

The Muff Youth Accordion Band currently meets every Thursday from 7.30pm – 9pm in St. Mary's Community Hall, Muff. Contact Bernard on (074) 9327958, Bridget on (074) 9384194, Charlie on (074) 9384251.

Providing musical and recreational opportunities for the youth of East Inishowen since 1982

The Muff Youth Accordion Band is open to all young people aged between seven and eighteen who are interested in learning to play and march with the band. Members are currently drawn from the Muff, Quigley’s Point, Greencastle and Moville areas.

At present there are 42 members in the Band. Since the band was founded in 1982, approximately 700 young people have benefitted from membership of the band. Members are provided with a free uniform, but up to the present have had to supply their own accordions. .

Activities

Members are taught to play various instruments, including the accordion, the drum and the cymbals. Members are also taught to march and perform set routines as a band. The band meets weekly on a Thursday night at St. Mary’s Hall, Muff.

Over the years, during the marching season the band is invited to perform in a wide variety of locations, both North and South of the border, in communities of both nationalist and unionist traditions. As well as playing regularly at locations in County Donegal such as Muff, Buncrana, Moville and Greencastle, the band also plays in Derry City and in County Derry. The band has also played in Dublin.

Events coming up…

Moville celebrates 25 years of St Patricks'Day parades this year. Preparations are well underway to have a full programme of events. Many marching bands will attend on the day and the John McNicholl Showband will be in the Square for the afternoon.

A Crafts show is open to interested crafts people on the Saturday before the parade. All businesses, clubs and organisations along the Foyle are invited to put a float in the parade either on foot or using a float. As this is the 25th Anniversary Parade, Muff Youth Accordion Band will be one of the many bands taking part in the parade.

Contribution to the local community

The band makes the following contributions to the community:

It provides a valuable outlet for the energies of young people, teaching them important social skills such as co-operation and mutual dependence.
It helps to bring young people together from a variety of backgrounds, linked by a common love for music.
It provides entertainment in the localities where it performs, drawing crowds to festivals and enhancing the area’s tourist potential.
It gives our members a lasting interest in music, which they can often put back into the community, for example, two ceili bands have been formed by former members of the band.