Ardmore Cup champion will get a trip to Florida for the Sun Belt; ticket sales strong

More than 200 tickets have so far been sold for the Ardmore Cup Solo Invitational Piping Competition, in Ardmore, Waterford, Ireland, on February 25th, and the overall winner of the contest will receive an invitation to compete at the Sun Belt Invitational in Maitland, Florida, on November 11th.

Not only that, the winner will get airfare and accommodations for three nights.

The Ardmore Cup was created following the success of the first Sun Belt Invitational in November 2022. Organizer Eric Stein was asked by Stephen Power, who attended the event, if he might help create another new event in Ardmore where Power’s father immigrated from to the United States.

Set to compete at the inaugural Ardmore Cup:

• Glenn Brown, Glasgow
• Kris Coyle, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
• Julian Dorman, Dublin
• Chris Earls, Arklow, Ireland
• Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
• Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland
• Fred Morrison, Bishopton, Scotland
• Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland
• Alen Tully, Dublin

Stein worked with former St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe-Major Terry Tully to scout out Ardmore to begin putting the pieces in place for the event to be held at St. Delcan’s Village Hall in the village. A swank logo was designed by the well-known piper, composer and graphic designer Charlie Glendinning of Maryland.

The contest will use the classic MSR and Medley approach, with contestants only required to include an Irish composition in their medley.

An after-party “grand session” will follow the competition at McKeever’s Pub across the street from the contest venue.

Tickets are €5 for adults, kids get in free, and all proceeds are going to local pipe bands and pipers, and R.G. Hardie & Co. are contributing a set of Peter Henderson Heritage pipes with the Ardmore Cup logo on the bass drone stock to go up for auction before the event.

If you want to reserve tickets just email Eric Stein.

The judges will be Ian Duncan, Ronan Maguire and Richard Parkes.