According to one senior lodge member, who was in it at the time, the present Maghera Flute Band was formed some 56 years ago in 1946. Although there had been a band in Maghera many years before that (see above). Then, like most bands at that time, it was mostly made up of lodge members.

When the present Orange Hall was opened in 1964 some younger people from the Maghera area and sons/daughters of Lodge members had began to join.

The band mostly played hymns and the usual Sash, Derry's Walls and other Orange tunes and attended mostly local band parades in the area.

The first new uniforms of white jumpers and dickey bows, which was the style at the time, were purchased in 1975 for the Twelfth Demonstration in Comber. Approximately sixteen members were in the band then.

From early 1976 there was a large influx of young members from the Newcastle/Castlewellan and Maghera areas and the band took on what is now known as 'Blood & Thunder status' and was renamed Star of Down, Maghera.

Sadly in June 1976 the Orange Hall at Maghera was attacked, set on fire and completely destroyed. The banner belonging to the Lodge and the bands bass drum were also lost. A new hall had to be built and during the rebuilding the band and the Lodge were, thanks to the kindness of the local Parish Church, allowed to use the church hall which was situated next door to the Orange Hall.

On the Twelfth of July 1976 the band were lent a bass drum from one of the local bands in the area and paraded proudly from the burnt out shell of our hall along Corrigs Road to catch the bus to the Demonstration as we had done in previous years.

To raise funds a 10 mile sponsored walk was held in Tollymore Forest Park, the proceeds of which went to buying a new set of side drums and the bands first miniature Lambeg Drum which was made by the late Billy Hewitt at his premises what was then in Charles Street South in Belfast.

Most Blood & Thunder bands used this type of drum at that time, the heads of which were made of Goatskin and tensioned with ropes.

On its first night out at a parade held by Pride of Down Dromore, we had only marched about fifty yards when the Bass Drummer's fist went through the side. Wisely we had brought the old plastic head with us as well. The following morning the drum was returned to Billy for a new head to be fitted. This was the first of many trips made to Billy's over the next few years. He also gave us a few lessons on how to play it with out bursting the sides and how to keep the heads properly tensioned.

The band won its first trophy for Blood & Thunder at a parade hosted by the Pride of Whitehill on a Saturday in Bangor. This was a great moment for the members of the band at that time and was the beginning of winning many such trophies over the next few years.

From then the band went from strength to strength attending many parades accross Northern Ireland from South Armagh to Ballymena and from Castlederg to Portavogie as well as supporting the local bands in this area and heading the District Lodge at many Orange and Black parades.

In 1979 the band had 60 members in it's ranks some of whom are still in the nand today.

The band also hosted it's first band parade in Newcastle in 1980 which has now become an annual event. The band have always been grateful for the support they have received from other flute bands in Northern Ireland and also the general public over the years.

From the high days of the eighties and the early nineties numbers began to dwindle in the late nineties as it did with many other bands. On a good night there might have been nine fluters and three drumers on parade. The band was able to weather the storm, as they say, thanks largely to the loyalty of the older members.

Thankfully under the 'New Management' of the present bandmaster and his Committee numbers have increased over the past few years.

There are now over 45 members in the ranks many of which are of the younger generation again and so a few years ago new uniforms were bought to replace the old one which had been purchased in 1989. Some of which were as they say 'to long new'.

The band always prided itself on its discipline and belives that this is why it has been able to keep going over the years and why parents have allowed their children to join. The band has been proud to be connected to Maghera Orange Lodge over it's 61 year history and has been privilaged to also lead Castlewellan District LOL, Ballywillwill LOL and RBP and Bryansford Apprentice Boys on numerous occasions.

Today the band is once again small in number and would appreciate your support and anyone who is thinking of joining please get in contact through this site. Thanks to our God, Jesus Christ, may we continue on for many years to come.