The Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Fermanagh celebrations planned

The Very Rev. Kenneth Hall, Dean of the Diocese of Clogher, has invited the County Fermanagh Section, Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, Northern Ireland Branch to be part of the cross-community Service of Thanksgiving and Beacon Lighting at St. Macartin’s Cathedral, which will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee during its quadricentennial year.

Toastmaster Gary Wilson who will making the Queens Platinum Jubilee Proclaimation.

Proceedings will commence at 2pm, with an official proclamation by Toastmaster Gary Wilson at The Diamond, Enniskillen.

More than 100 pipers and musicians from 19 local pipe bands and further afield will play ‘Diu Regnare’, their collective and personal tribute to Her Majesty, at 9.35pm that evening in advance of the beacons being lit at 9.45pm.

This is a unique tune, specially written for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons by 2020 Glenfiddich Champion piper Stuart Liddell, Pipe Major of the world’s leading pipe band, Inveraray and District.

Pipers at Enniskillen Castle in Decemeber 2021 for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The bugle call ‘Majesty' will be played two minutes before the lighting of the beacon in the grounds of the cathedral, overlooking the town.

The unique bugle call has been especially written by bugler Sgt. A.W. Carlisle, Hillsborough Fort Guard, Northern Ireland and will be played at many other beacon locations throughout the UK just before the beacons are lit that evening too.

After the beacon is lit, to the sound of skyrockets exploding and bells pealing, the Cathedral Choir will sing‘Song for the Commonwealth’.

A beacon lit in Enniskillen for The Queen's 90th Birthday.

The massed bands will parade from Church Street to Enniskillen Castle, where the iconic lakeside stronghold will be bathed in purple lighting by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to commemorate the special occasion.

The Rotary Club of Enniskillen will host the lighting of a beacon on the castle walls, and 12 more beacons along the shore of Lough Erne will be lit by young folk who have been an inspiration to others within their community.

Local Army and RAF Air Cadets will light a beacon on Topped Mountain, overlooking Enniskillen, accompanied by a cadet piper and bugler.

Two vivid beams of light will project into the night sky above the castle – the ‘crossing of lights’ poignantly symbolising The Queen’s historic visit to St. Macartin’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in 2012 for a service of thanksgiving to mark her Diamond Jubilee.

Queens Visit to Enniskillen - 26-6-2012 - picture by John McVitty, Enniskillen, Co.Fermanagh, N.Ireland-07771987378.

Queen Elizabeth II was the first English monarch to visit St. Macartin’s Cathedral, which was built almost 400 years earlier under the reign of King James 1.

Following that service, The Queen crossed the street to St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church to greet cross-community representatives.

Her Majesty’s first visit to County Fermanagh was as a young princess on March 20, 1946.

The 19 participating pipe bands include Bellanaleck Pipe Band, Brookeborough Pipe Band, Cavanacarragh Pipe Band, Cooneen Pipe Band, Drumharvey Pipe Band, Derryclavin Pipe Band, Enniskillen Pipe Band, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School Pipe Band, Feugh Pipe Band, Irvine Memorial Pipe Band, Killadeas Pipe Band, Knox Pipe Band, Lack Pipe Band, Moybrone Pipe Band, The Barr Pipe Band, Tievemore Pipe Band, Trillick Pipe Band, Tubrid Pipe Band and Tullylagan Pipe Band.

JC 17 Jan 2022 Queen's Platinum Jubilee Viscount Brookeborough, Lord Lieutenant for Co.Fermanagh lights beacon.

The Viscount Brookeborough KG, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for County Fermanagh, said: “People throughout the Commonwealth and further afield will celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and reflect on what her reign has meant to them.

"We in County Fermanagh especially remember Her Majesty’s visit in 2012 when she walked across the street from St. Macartin’s Church of Ireland Cathedral to St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, and also her triumphant State Visit to The Republic of Ireland during the previous year.

"These two events have brought our divided communities closer together more than anything else that has taken place in the past 100 years.

"This Platinum celebration will be another important milestone for the cross-community relations in our country, and we are delighted to be lighting beacons as part of it, bringing people together at one moment in time, celebrating this historic milestone in The Queen’s life and in her reign too.”

Many other events are planned by local volunteers and community groups to celebrate The Queen's Platinum Jubilee over the two-day bank holiday weekend, including a family fun day, Pipe Band Tattoo, Coronation Exhibition and The Jubilee Big Lunch, with an opportunity for everyone to celebrate this historic occasion.

Her Majestys Visit to Enniskillen meeting Dean Kenny Hall .

The Very Rev. Kenneth R. J. Hall, Dean of Diocese of Clogher, said: "In 2012 we were delighted to welcome Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, who was the first English monarch to visit St. Macartin’s Cathedral that was built almost 400 years earlier under the reign of King James 1.

"This year will be extra special for us as we will celebrate both The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the quadricentennial year of our cathedral."

Catherine Robinson, President of Enniskillen Rotary Club said: "Enniskillen, the most westerly Rotary Club in the United Kingdom, is delighted that local Rotarians will be supporting this unique event, along with hundreds of other Rotary clubs across the Commonwealth.

"It is a pleasure and an honour to be involved with this celebration, acknowledging the great service given by our monarch over 70 years.’

Pipe Major William Stinson, Chairman of The County Fermanagh Section, Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, Northern Ireland Branch, said: "We were delighted to accept the invitation from Very Rev. Kenneth Hall to coordinate the pipe bands taking part in the cross-community Service of Thanksgiving and Beacon Lighting in Enniskillen, marking the historic occasion of the Platinum Jubilee in June.

"Bands across the county at the moment are busy learning the music for the occasion and looking forward greatly to the event."