Crowd enthralled at pipe band's centenary concert

St Colmcille's Pipe Band, Tullamore marked its centenary in style with a wide-ranging concert which captivated a large crowd at the Tullamore Court Hotel on Friday night last. November 11 marked 100 years to the day since the band was founded in 1911 and the band certainly did its predecessors proud with a performance which had the estimated attendance of some 400-plus on their feet by the end of the night. Gavin Gee and Rahan Comhaltas entertained the crowd before the band came on stage and opened with an Irish set of Let Erin Remember, The Minstrel Boy and the Rowan Tree, followed by Leaving Port Askaig and Angus McKinnon. Recognising the need to vary the performance, the band, which finished second in its grade in this year's World Pipe Band Championships, showcased its wide variety of musical talents with members performing on alternative instruments such as uilleann pipes, whistles, bass, djembe, drum kit and more while guest performers, singer Gavin Gee on guitar and Ray Farrell on the cittern and a traditional group of Sharon Carroll, Attracta Brady, Kevin Brehony, Sarah and Ruth Hennessy and Kieran Brennan added further to the diversity and complemented the band's regular sets excellently. There were also three guest pipers on the evening - Mick Foy, originally from Killeigh and of the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band in Dublin, as well as Jim Gordon and Nigel O'Neill from New Ross and District. Among the highlights in the performance were a drum salute from the drum corps, a piping tag team featuring Pat Middleton, Don Devine, Pat Nolan, John Leamy and Joe Mooney as well as a specially prepared medley for the evening. The band's up and coming junior members also performed a set together on stage. Band chairman and drum sergeant Willie Currams spoke passionately about the route the band had travelled to get to this point and paid tribute to the public at large for its support. In particular, he singled out band president Tony Healion, Paddy Finlay, Christy Dowling and Liz Martin for their generosity. A presentation was made to Mr Dowling, who travelled from New York especially for the occasion, and Mrs Martin following their own personal fundraising drives which were instrumental in the band being in a position to purchase a much-needed set of uniforms last year. MC for the evening Michael Duignan said his "eyes had been opened" by the breadth of the band's performance before they finished out with a medley and a 4/4 set The Pikeman's March and The Dawning of the Day, which drew a standing ovation from the crowd and demanded an encore, with the band duly obliging before the music continued in the bar into the small hours. The weekend was rounded off with a mass for deceased members on Sunday and another presentation to band president Tony Healion at his home in Cappincur. The band produced a centenary booklet on the night, with every last copy sold though another print run has been ordered to meet the demand for more. They will be available from any band member while a DVD of the concert is also being produced. Given the huge success of the night, the concert looks set to become an annual event in some shape or form for the band for years to come. Members of St Colmcille's Pipe Band who performed at Friday night's concert were: Pipe corps - Joe Mooney (pipe major), John Leamy (pipe sergeant), Don Devine, Gary Mangan, Pat Middleton, Michael O'Brien, Pat Nolan. Guest pipers - Mick Foy (Fintan Lalor), Jim Gordon, Nigel O'Neill (both New Ross & District). Drum corps - Willie Currams (drum sergeant), Michael Middleton (drum corporal), John O'Gorman, Brandon Troy, Ross Cannon, Susan Feery, Leo Middleton, Martin Donnellan, Ollie Pyke. Guest performers: Rahan Comhaltas, Gavin Gee, Ray Farrell, Sharon Carroll, Attracta Brady, Kevin Brehony, Sarah and Ruth Hennessy, Kieran Brennan.