Category: Announcements

As the team prepares for their trip to the Big Apple on Wednesday 2nd April 2025, Paula spoke to Big Rab on the BBC Radio Ulster show, Kintra, titled Drum Majors Heading to NYC 🇺🇸 🗽, which was broadcasted on Sunday afternoon.

Paula talks to The Big Rab Show about the great support The Force has received and continues to receive from its sponsors and followers, which has enabled the team to accept an invitation to participate at this years NYC Tartan week and Tartan Day on Ellis Island. The Big Rab Show has been a huge supporter and was at the initial launch of the team, so it was fitting for Paula to speak with Rab prior to flying away for the teams first international gig since its launch back in April 2023.

#BBC #BigRab #NYCTartanWeek #TheForce

What a day! 🤩
✔️ New York Rehearsals
✔️ New Team Kit A1 Embroidery & Printing
✔️ Uniform Check Harris Kilt Company
✔️ Banner Reveal

Our team are soo excited for Wednesday morning whereby we arrive for 6 Days of New York Fun 😍😍

#NewYorkTartanDay
#TheForce

🤩 It really is a team effort! 🤩
Miss Kathy on return from university was straight into event mode and assisted with the New York Tartan Week rehearsals. These are epic! #MusicChoiceMatters

Yesterday was exciting due to the awards event but Kathy also collected the group tartan supplied by our sponsor Harris Kilt Company which are being debuted at New York Tartan Week! They fit perfectly and we can’t wait to perform in them. 💕🎶 #ThanksAsAlways

Furthermore, The Force Academy had a helping hand at the Friends of Campbell College Pipe Band Drum Major lesson whereby Kathy met the team and assisted in sharing her knowledge as a two time World Champion.
#EliteMember #Kathy #AppreciationPost #Team

What an experience and what an event by Mid Ulster District Council! 🤩
We were delighted to receive several nominations for ‘Arts Group of the Year’ and some of our Elite Team and The Force Mini’s attended.

Whilst we did not win, we learnt very quickly the size of the category we were in, the prestigious nominees and the amazing work done within the community not to mention the length of time these groups were in operation, some over 50years!! Therefore, it stands as a great privilege to be a nominee and Finalist within our 2 years of existence! Go Team TheForce! 🎶

As a Finalist within this category it was a great honour and we congratulate the CRAIC Theatre on their fantastic achievement!!

The rest of the Gala Ball money put to good use this past week!!

It’s wonderful to be able to support our local ToberTinys Community Playgroup.

The team are delighted and thanks to @sperringraphix for their installation.

We are delighted to share we have been nominated (by several nominees) and are now a finalist for award ‘Arts Group of the Year’ at the Mid Ulster District Council Arts, Culture & Community Awards 2025.

This day week, our team will be hosted at the Burnavon Theatre to hear if we have won this category. It’s simply an honour to be nominated. 😁
Wish us luck 🤩

🇺🇸The team are so excited to be performing on such an historic island whilst over at the NYC Tartan Week!!

The Learned Kindred of Currie – Clan Currie Society will be hosting the 23rd Annual Tartan Day on Ellis Island celebrations from April 4-6, 2025. This prestigious event honours Scottish heritage, culture, and contributions to America, bringing together Scots and Scottish Americans 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇸 from across the country.

Scheduled to perform at this years event, are: The Force, Shot of Scotch – NYC’s Premier Scottish Highland Dancers, St. Columcille United Gaelic Pipe Band, Scottish juggler John Grimaldi and members of the Fling Together dancers and the McAngus School of Highland Dance.

To all our American friends who are heading to this years NYC Tartan Week performances will take place every day between 10AM and 3PM on the great lawn facing the Statue of Liberty🗽and overlooking the Manhattan skyline!!🇺🇸

The Force are pleased to announce a new member of our elite team, Louise Smiton.

Louise has performed with The Force at several events over the past year and we are delighted that she has accepted our invitation to become part of our elite team of Champion Drum Majors.

Louise is the current 2024 World Juvenile Champion and 2024 British Juvenile Champion, which follows her success in 2023 as European Juvenile Champion. Louise has also obtained many other accolades over the years including being crowned Ulster Champion and Northern Ireland Champion of Champions.

Louise started out as a Drum Major at the age of 6 years old and began competing when she was 7 years old. When asked how she felt when being offered a place in the elite team, Louise said “I am delighted to become a member of the Force elite team. It’s such an exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to the future with a great team!! I screamed with excitement when I was asked”.

The Force founder Senior Drum Major Paula Braiden said “Its great to have Louise part of our elite team, from the very moment she put her name forward for an event, she came with the preparations needed, was enthusiastic and on her first event and thereafter comes with the complete routine learned from video and steps right into place. Louise shows excitement, commitment and a determination to work hard, she walked into an already strong team that has existed for a long time and fits perfectly.

Team work is everything within The Force, and as it continues to grow, we are delighted to see Louise form great friendships and share in the excitement of our first international gig, which is only a few weeks away for New York Tartan Week.

Visit our website to see our full list of Elite Team members.

www.theforce.events/meet-the-team

Our raffle amongst other generous donations and sponsorships has led us to confirm and finally accept our fantastic invitation to attend New York Tartan Week and Parade down 6th Avenue in New York City, 5th April 2025. 🗽

This prestigious invitation (snippet below) has been something that we have been working so hard behind the scenes to make a reality. To know that The Force team have been given this recognition and support to attend, has been super exciting for everyone. 🙌

With the support of the recent Raffle which was supplied and donated by the Galgorm Resort, local businesses, previous event donations, we are able to go to New York and perform, show off some new merchandise and enjoy all what New York has to offer! 🍎

#TheBigApple #NewYorkTartanWeek #NewYorkTartanDayParade #TheForce