- Michael Hayden, Back second from right
- John Joe Haydon, Back second from left
- Joe McDarby, Front second from right
In 1913 Brother McKenna of the Christian Brothers organised a
troop of the Fianna Éireann Scouts in Carlow town. Later the
same year he formed the Fianna Scouts Band. In 1914 there was a
ceremony to mark the blessing and presentation of the Fianna
Éireann flag by Fr. Burbage to the Band. The ceremony took place
in the playground of the Christian Brothers Schools, College
Street. The flag, known as "The Sunburst", had been designed and
painted by Br. McKenna.
The Scouts disbanded in 1916 due to the political situation
in the country. The following year, Joseph McDarby and John Joe
Haydon, two pipers in the Fianna Band, formed the Carlow Pipers'
Band. Michael Hayden was Flagman and later Bass Drummer.
The uniforms were made by Gleeson's Irish Costume Makers,
Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin. Four sets of pipes, the Bass
Drum and Fianna Flag were given to the new Band by the disbanded
Fianna Band. These instruments and four more sets of pipes and
side drums were supplied by McCullogh Bagpipe Makers, Dublin.
The Bandroom was the Old Band room of the Carlow Workmens'
Club, Brown Street, which was then known as the Sinn Féin Club.
The Carlow I.R.A. are said to have held their meetings there.
The Band was often harassed by the R.I.C. (Royal Irish
Constabulary - the police force of the British administration in
Ireland) who tried to capture the Flag.
The Pipe Major, Joseph McDarby was arrested when the Band
attended a proscribed meeting and spent a year in an English
Prison. James Mooney also served a prison sentence for his I.R.A.
activities.
Source: An article by Joseph Ellis in Carloviana, 1981
- St Patrick's Parade 1967
-
- This photograph is showing the
Carlow Pipe Band and the
Carlow branch of the Foresters. the photograph was taken of
the St. Patrick's Day parade in 1967.
- Reading from left to right the Foresters are: Front row:
Pat Purcell, Tommy Corcoran, John Smith
- Second row: George Ramsbottom
- Third row: Dick Donovan, Christy Broderick, Liam Woods
- Fourth row: Martin Brophy, Pado Redmond, J. J. Woods
- Frank Hutton is directly behind Martin Brophy. Pat Purcell
is, of course, the man who collected the marvellous resource
that his nephew Michael who has transcribed for and placed on
this website.
- Source: J.J. Woods c.2012
