Friends and family of Murley Silver Band came together to celebrate the band's 98th anniversary with a Black Tie Dinner Dance at The Valley Hotel, Fivemiletown on Friday, November 4.

Usually a biannual event, this was the first Murley Silver Band Black Tie Dinner held since 2018, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event was organised by the band's vice-president Mike Tarrant and his wife Rose, who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Describing the night as "very special", Stephen Bloomfield, who holds the position of Murley Silver Band co-chair with his brother Mark Bloomfield, noted that there was around 140 people in attendance.

Following the main course of the dinner, the band performed a half an hour set, entertaining all those in attendance by playing six pieces of music.

Gordon Campbell, who is a professor of of the trombrone, was special guest on the night.

"Gordon is probably one of the best trombone players in the whole of the UK," said Stephen, noting that during the event, Gordon accompanied Murley Silver Band in its performance before giving his speech.

"He spoke about his life experiences from when he started [playing the trombone] as a child to how he became a professor on that instrument," added Stephen.

Amidst the celebrations, the band took the opportunity to remember two life-long band members who sadly passed away earlier this year, William Lyons, who had been Murley Silver Band president and Herbie Robertson.

"Our president William Lyons sadly died on August 13. I gave a tribute with his wife Geraldine being there, just about what William meant to us as a band. Not only was he our president, but he had given over 60 years of playing service to the band, as well as tutoring young players and helping people with repairs to instruments. He was just an amazing man," said Stephen, adding: "Then there was life-long member Herbie Robertson who passed away on September 8.

"They were two people that we wanted to specially remember on that occasion and the band played at both funerals.

"That was a very sombre and very emotional event for everybody associated with the band, given that these gentlemen had given a lifetime of service," he said.

On the night, on behalf of the band, Stephen thanked everyone in attendance; friends, family and members of the local community for their support, commenting that it is because of them that Murley Silver Band exists, "to entertain the public and communities" that it serves. He also thanked The Valley Hotel for its support over the years.

The night concluded with a disco.

Talking about the success of the event, Stephen said: "It was an event where the friends and family of Murley Silver Band could all come together again, because the Covid period was so difficult.

"The most important thing was to mark the 98th anniversary and reflect on what Covid has meant for us as an organisation because a lot of people who don't play brass instruments wouldn't realise that it was over a year that we were stopped from playing together in any format," he said.

"We are going to do the same for the band's 100th anniversary in two years' time and that's why we wanted to host this event, to get people out again and remind them of what the band is trying to achieve which is to entertain in our local communities and to stress the importance of music to people and their wellbeing," Stephen told this newspaper.

Over the coming weeks, Murley Silver Band will be taking part in a range of concerts, collaborating with Fermanagh Choral Society as well as hosting events in their own local community.