The Band makes its return with a captivating three-part series commemorating USA 250, delving into the narratives of individuals who emigrated from Northern Ireland to America and Canada. This series highlights the friendships, communities, and sense of belonging these emigrants have forged through their shared love for bands and music.
Supported by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, the series was filmed on location in Norfolk (Virginia), Philadelphia, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. It explores themes of emigration, family, heritage, culture, and identity through the personal stories of those who have established new lives across the Atlantic while preserving strong ties to their roots back home.
The Band premieres on Thursday, 16 July, at 10:40 PM on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer.
Director Jonathan Golden remarked, “It was a privilege to meet individuals from Northern Ireland who have settled in cities such as Philadelphia, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. Hearing how they found friendship and a sense of belonging through their passion for bands and music was truly inspiring. Their stories encapsulate the historic and enduring cultural bond between Ulster and North America.”
Episode One follows Danielle Hamilton Cooper from Cookstown, who moved to Philadelphia after meeting her husband, Derek, within the pipe band community. Together, they are members of the Ulster-Scottish Pipe Band, partly founded by Derek’s great-grandfather, John Hall, who emigrated from Moneymore in the 1920s.
This episode also features Jemma Redmond from Cullybackey and Stephen Paynter from Markethill, who settled in Vancouver and formed lifelong friendships through the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band before returning home to marry in Belfast City Hall. In Ottawa, Bethany, whose grandfather emigrated from Belfast, plays bagpipes with a local punk band, blending tradition with contemporary music.
Episode Two introduces Lorna from Ballymoney, who travels to the United States with the Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band to perform at the prestigious Virginia International Tattoo. Viewers will also meet Andrew from Ballygowan, who has built a successful piping career at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, along with Rod, a member of the Winnipeg Police Pipe Band.
During a visit to Northern Ireland for the Belfast International Tattoo, Rod Christie investigates his Ulster-Scots family history, visiting the home his grandfather left when he joined the RAF during the Second World War before emigrating to Canada. He also travels to Islandmagee to learn more about his grandmother’s family roots.
Episode Three features Ed Kenny, who emigrated to Toronto over 60 years ago following the death of his father. By joining the Ulster Accordion Band—established by Northern Irish immigrants in the late 1950s—he met his wife, Violet, who had emigrated from Dungannon.
This episode also follows Gordon and his family from Omagh as they travel to Toronto to partake in the city’s Twelfth of July celebrations, while Glenn from East Belfast shares his own Canadian connections.
For Ed and Violet, the Ulster Accordion Band became much more than a musical ensemble. It offered friendship, community, and a lasting connection to home, with relationships formed through music continuing to thrive across generations.
The series was produced for BBC Northern Ireland by DoubleBand Films in association with Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund. It was produced by Mary Johnston and directed by Jonathan Golden.
