WATCH | Keeping the tradition alive...Longford Pipe Band ring in the New Year for 55th consecutive time

Reaching out to proud Longfordians at home and throughout the world, the excellent Longford Pipe Band yesterday evening preserved a 55 years tradition by ringing in the New Year in front of St Mel's Cathedral. 

Since 1966, Longford Pipe Band have assembled on New Year's Eve to herald the arrival of a new year.

And ahead of 2021 the band played earlier in the evening, observing all safety protocols and were recorded by Shane Crossan and this super video was posted at midnight. 

Band Leader Benny McGuinness insisted that Covid-19 wasn't going to stop the band from performing and preserving their long tradition. 

He said there was something special about playing on New Year's Eve. "We see people year in, year out. It is a tradition you wouldn't like to fall right now and I think it is more significant now than ever."

Drummer Christy Devlin agreed, "We were very young when this started first. We'd like to keep it going as a tradition for the people of Longford and we wish everyone a happy and healthy new year."

Well done to Longford Pipe Band and best wishes for 2021 to Longfordians wherever you may be in the world. 

Longford Pipe Band doing a recording this evening for midnight instead of their usual new year's eve performance. Lovely to listen to as always. Doing Longford proud.#Longford @Longford_Leader @longfordcoco @LongfordTourism pic.twitter.com/9W9ncI692y

— Eimear (@MissEims) December 31, 2020