Limerick bandmaster tells the story of a very ‘long - standing’ tradition
A NEW “extensive history” of Limerick’s marching bands has been published by a local bandmaster.
In ‘By The Left, Quick March – Limerick’s Marching Band Tradition’, bandmaster and MIC academic, Dr Derek Mulcahy, tells the story of Limerick’s proud and long-standing culture of civilian marching bands.
Dr Mulcahy, who is the bandmaster of St Mary’s Fife and Drum Band, which was founded in 1885, reveals the full story behind the bands through a series of interviews, newspaper accounts, band records and photographs.
Published by Limerick City and County Council and in partnership with MIC, the book looks back on the tradition that began with the temperance movement in the 1830s and went on to play a major role in the social and musical life of the city.
In the book, Dr Mulcahy examines the bands’ heritage from both the temperance movement and the city’s military tradition, the political divisions among the bands, band competitions, music instrumentation, as well as the importance of band halls.
With a detailed study of a tradition that Limerick holds dear, he captures the sense of civic pride that band members and Limerick people have in their bands.
On Sunday, March 5, the book was launched at a reception at Limerick’s City Hall where Boherbuoy St John’s and Redemptorist Brass and Reed Bands, St Mary’s Fife and Drum Band and City of Limerick and CBS Pipe bands performed.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor Foley commented: “This book is an extensive history of our bands with its rich history of photographs, newspaper articles, brochures and band records. Limerick is fortunate to still have brass and reed, fife and drum and pipe bands based in various parts of the city. While many bands in the city have disbanded over the last two centuries, others have survived since the 1850s, they are now all recorded. I wish to thank the author and those that supported this research for all his work.”
Commenting on the “intriguing and detailed story,” Head of the Department of Music at MIC, Dr Gareth Cox, who wrote the book’s foreword, said: “It is a valuable and fascinating contribution to the history of musical life in the city.”
Dr Mulcahy works with the Academic Learning Centre at MIC, and is the author of ‘The Leader of the Band’, which tells the story of Limerick musician Patrick J McNamara.