10/07/2026
*NEW SERIES*
🥁The Band - Series 4
The new series starts Thursday 16th July at 10.40PM on BBC Northern Ireland
All episodes available on BBC iPlayer after broadcast! 🎶
📺Episode 1 :
Jemma Redmond and Stephen Paynter explain how pipe-band culture helped them build a new life in Vancouver. Originally from County Antrim and County Armagh, they met through pipe bands before moving to Canada and joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. After 20 years together, they return to Northern Ireland to marry at Belfast City Hall and celebrate with family and friends.
In Philadelphia, Danielle Hamilton Cooper, from Cookstown, shares how she settled into life with her husband, Derek, and their baby son, Dawson. Their involvement with the Ulster Scottish Pipe Band, a long-standing tradition in Derek’s family, has helped Danielle find friendship and community. The family also comes together to celebrate Independence Day.
In Ottawa, pipe major Bethany Bisaillion explores her Northern Irish heritage through her grandfather, who emigrated from Belfast in the 1920s. She leads the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow and combines tradition with her love of alternative music by performing with a local punk band.
📺Episode 2:
In episode two, Lorna Archibald, a bass drummer with Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band, travels from Ballymoney to America for the first time to perform at the Virginia International Tattoo. Proud of her Ulster-Scots identity, she also challenges gender stereotypes by stepping into the boxing ring.
Behind the scenes, Andrew Carlisle from Ballygowan has turned his passion for piping into an international career. A former member of Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band and one of the world’s leading solo pipers, he is artistic director of the Tattoo and director of piping at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg piper Rod Christie visits Northern Ireland with the Winnipeg Police Pipe Band to perform at the Belfast International Tattoo. During his trip, he explores his Ulster-Scots ancestry and traces the story of his grandfather, who joined the RAF during the Second World War before settling in Canada. The journey deepens Rod’s understanding of his family history and strengthens his pride in his heritage.
📺Episode 3:
In episode three, Ed Kenny reflects on more than 60 years in Canada after emigrating from Belfast following his father’s death. In Toronto, he built a successful career in shipping, met his wife Violet, from Dungannon, and joined the Ulster Accordion Band. Founded by Northern Irish immigrants in the 1950s, the band became central to their lives and the source of friendships that have lasted for decades.
Also in Toronto, Gordon Spratt, his wife Sandra and their daughters Louise and Claire travel from Omagh to take part in the city’s 12th of July parade with the Blair Memorial Flute Band. Once the largest parade of its kind outside Belfast, the event remains an important tradition. For the Spratt family, it is also a rare opportunity to spend time together on a memorable trip.
Back in Belfast, Glenn Millar explores his own connection with Canada. Born in Toronto to parents from Northern Ireland, he returned to East Belfast as a child following their separation. Growing up during the Troubles, Glenn found friendship and belonging through the Pride Of The Raven FB. Now a mental health advocate, he believes band culture can provide men with a supportive space to talk openly about their experiences.
Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Agency
