Pipe band to mark 60 years

On Sunday next the Thomas McDonagh Pipe Band will mark its 60th birthday with the unveiling of a bench in Templemore Town Park to honour all members of the band, past and present.

This will be followed by ceol agus craic in the Malthouse and the band would like to invite all those members, along with everyone who has followed and supported the band throughout the years, to come along and enjoy a few tunes. The band has been an integral part of the town since it was formed in 1963.

In July of that year, the local paper reported: “A youthful committee is striving to form a pipe band. The committee of the local Craobh of Comhaltas Ceolteóirí na hÉireann generously handed over the proceeds of a raffle on Sunday night, which came to a substantial sum. The committee feel sure the townsfolk would agree that a band would add to the dignity of all public functions.”

And how right they were. They were set up the following month and ran a Silver Circle to raise money, which funded the purchase of their first set of drums, which they bought from the Seán Treacy Pipe Band. The prize winners in that draw were: First, Mrs T Gleeson, 4 Railway Road; second, Mr John Stapleton, Barrack Street and third, Miss M Dunne, 37 Borris Road, Portlaoise.

The band certainly began their public life in a blaze of glory as their first appearance was to mark the opening of the Garda Training Centre in 1964.

The then Minister for Justice, Charles J Haughey, was piped from the Town Hall to the old Barracks Square where the Garda Band then took over. The band had begun in style and carried out their duty to a high standard.

This standard has remained ever since as the band have performed around the world and represented their town and its people with great pride. So let’s see you all at the Town Park at 2.30pm on Sunday and remember all those who have served the Thomas McDonagh Pipe band so well for 60 years.