The Garda Pipe Band: The First Garda Síochána Band

Irish Bagpipes Tradition: The Birth of the Garda (Irish Police) Band

Irish American Police Pipe Bands, are of course famous for their displays on St. Patrick's Day, police funerals and other official ceremonies across the USA. However, at home in Ireland, there is also a notable history of pipes and drums in the Garda Síochána, which was set up just after Ireland's war of independence.

In the annals of Irish policing history, a new chapter unfolded in 1922, with the establishment of the Irish Gardai / Police, "An Garda Síochána" ( "Guardians of the Peace" translated from Gaeilge/Irish ). With it, was established the first Garda Band.

The first Garda Band was not a brass band but an Irish pipe and drum Band. This was the most natural choice of musical band for Irish people in military and police roles. The Piob Mor ("Big" or "Great" Irish Bagpipes) have always been used by the Irish as a social as well as a military instrument. The Piob Mor spans our history from the ancient Gaelic kingdoms, Gaelic Irish clan armies, all the Irish Rebellions, as well as Irish Regiments in the British, French, Spanish, South African, Canadian, Australian, Mexican and other militaries where Irish soldiers and mercenaries served over the centuries.

In cities around the world, where Irish people served in police forces, it was typical to set up Irish affiliated police and civilian pipe bands. In the Ireland of 1920, there were ample bagpipers available to the new Garda police force at the time.

Four of the Kilkenny Pipers who joined the Garda Pipe Band

The first Pipe Major of the Garda Pipe Band was John Meighan from Kilkenny, who was a highly skilled piper with experience of leading his local village pipe band of Kells, County Kilkenny. "Kells Pipers Band", was a typical Gaelic Irish piping revival band founded in 1915 by nationalist Irish Volunteers and members of the Gaelic League.

At the initial recruitment drive, John Meighan had travelled to the R.D.S. in Ballsbridge, Dublin, for the interview and was pleasantly surprised to see a few other pipers among the attending applicants.

In an interview in later life, P.M. John Meighan shared some of this story in his own words...

" After the course of a few days, there was a member who had a set of bagpipes, and being a bit lonely after leaving home, I started to play them during recreational hours, with the result that, in a very short time I was summoned to report at the office of the Commandant for an interview regarding my experiences of pipe bands. At the conclusion of the interview, I was then informed that a pipe band would be formed in the training of the recruits to march to music, and that I could be the member in charge and likewise the founder member."

He accepted the challenge and became instrumental in the formation of the Garda Pipe Band in 1922.

The first official outing of the Garda Pipe Band in full uniform, 1922

The first instruments bought for the band were Irish made bagpipes (Piob Mor) and drums from Waltons Music Store in North Frederick Street, Dublin.

Music The Healer: One Gaelic Instrument With Many Affiliations

In many ways, the Great Irish / Highland Bagpipes are a unifying instrument in Ireland. (Ironic for the misnomer of Warpipes used). The choice of a pipe band was a fitting and healing example itself for the new police force of the Irish Free State. The new country was still trying to heal wounds of bitter rivalries, conflict within Ireland and between Britain and Ireland, borne out of the War of Independence and the ongoing civil strife in the new state.

The members involved in the first year of the Garda Pipe Band, came from a grand mix of community and political pipe bands, Catholic bands, Protestant bands, ex-Irish Regiment Pipers, ex-I.R.A. pipers and John Meighan managed to convince a few of his local band members to join the musical ranks also.

This is a credit to the efforts of the new Garda Force to be as inclusive as possible. It also shows how our ancient Gaelic Bagpipes have a lasting appeal to all shades of Irishness.

On The Move: Next Base Move To Kildare Town

The band was given a base and accommodation at the Artillery Barracks in Kildare town in April 1922, vacating the Ballsbridge venue in Dublin, just in time for the Annual Spring Horse Show.

While in Kildare, the Garda Pipe Band were constantly on route marches to Monasterevin, Newbridge and other centres in the area with at least a thousand men marching to the music.

"Wake up" or "Reveille", the morning military musical call, was played on the pipes every morning at 6.30 a.m. It was officially played by instructor and Garda Piper M. Kavanagh and shared on rota with Garda Meighan. It characterised the military nature of life for the early recruits who would follow the Garda Pipe Band on marches around County Kildare.

New Garda Recruits at the initial Kildare Artillery Barracks base

While the pipe band went from strength to strength in Kildare, progress was hampered in the set up of the Garda brass and reed band by several factors.

-The Kildare Mutiny in May distracted members from important practice, and their instruments were neglected, with even the smallest of repairs difficult to fix.

-The employment of bandsmen in depot duties was to hinder progress and, while one band was operational, the necessity of training recruits to despatch to parts of the country was by far the most important priority.

-Members of the pipe band were, however, some of the first recruits to receive the new uniforms in Kildare because they were conspicuously positioned at the head of processions.

The Garda Pipe Band re located from Kildare Town to Ship Street, Dublin, around the 20th August, 1922.

 Biggest Public Performance: The Funeral of General Michael Collins 

A day that brought Ireland to a pause, was the funeral of Michael Collins in August 1922.  There was somewhere between 750,000 to 1 Million people who lined the funeral route in Dublin. There were many civilian and organisational pipe bands who played that day as well as several Irish Army Pipe and Brass Bands.  The sole representative of the new Garda Police Force from a musical view, was the Garda Pipe Band.

John Meighan was in charge of the Garda Pipe Band at the funeral of the late General Collins. The slow marches and pauses lasted for many hours until they reached the resting place and ceremonies when he was laid to rest at Glasnevin Cemetery, Glasnevin, North Dublin..

Music Every Day: A whirlwind year for the Garda Pipe Band

While the new Irish Defence Forces established in February 1922, had already Several Pipe Bands and Brass ensembles, The New Garda Police Force had only this one band for the whole country.  This meant an incredibly busy first year for the musicians with the band on duty almost every single day in 1922.

It is not certain how many parades, engagements, performances and military events performed in 1922, but we do know from Garda Band historical sources that the pay was small. The members of this band, who lived in barracks, received £3:10:0 a week each, with one day off per month.

The band travelled from Dublin to Westport, Co. Mayo, in the month of September, 1922, on the occasion of the funeral of the late General Joe Ring. General Ring was previously posted as a Chief Superintendent in the Garda Force in the early months of 1922, and later joined the National Army. While the Garda Pipe Band were in Westport, they were accommodated at the Railway Hotel.

The funeral was on a Sunday and the band led the funeral cortege on a winding road from Clew Bay to the cemetery, the dead march being played en route. It was the first time the natives of Connaught had seen the new Garda uniform instead of the RIC Police uniform.

On the return journey from Westport, the train stopped at the Railway Station at Roscommon, where the band members witnessed some young people leaving for the U.S.A. amidst sad scenes. The Garda Commissioner, Mr. Staines, who was travelling with the band to the funeral, came along the corridor of the train and requested Piper Meighan and another piper to get on to the platform to play a few lively airs. Just to brighten up the sad scenes with families saying goodbye to departing emigrants. They duly played and marched up and down the platform to the delight of the crowds.

On the same train journey when they got to Athlone, there was some delay there at the Railway Station and the Commissioner decided the Garda band should play through the town which was the occasion of the local fair and considered most suitable for recruiting purposes. No Garda Station had been opened in Athlone up to that time. They did pick up recruits, it's told.

Official Ceremonies: Garda Pipe Band Duties back in Dublin

After several trips around the country in September & October 1922, it was a focus back to Dublin for the band. At an official ceremony, the Garda Pipe Band played at the taking over of the R.l.C. Depot at the Phoenix Park in the month of November, 1922.

Back in Dublin again they had many big route marches through the city, also church parades on each Sunday and the holidays of obligation. Pipers and Drummers were put on other duties like protecting banks or on the beat, on the rare day there was no musical requirements of them.

Slan Libh: The Last British Troops Leave Phoenix Park

On 6 December 1922, exactly one year after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London, "Saorstát Éireann", the Irish Free State, was proclaimed.

The last British troops left the Free State on 17 December.

Frantz Fanon wrote that: “[nationalism is] not only a condition of culture [but] also a necessity…” He deepened his analysis: “consciousness of self is nationalism’s guarantee…”

It is appropriate to note here the effects of this consciousness of the new republic, which would have been felt by everyone and was evidenced in the repertoire of the Garda Pipe Band, now under the control of New Commissioner Eoin O’Duffy.

Garda HQ Phoenix Park, Dublin

When the Royal Irish Constabulary depot in Phoenix Park was handed over on 17 December of 1922, an advance party took over as the Garda Pipe Band played Wrap the Green Flag Round Me. The Royal Irish Constabulary band had played "The Young May Moon" as they left in the spring of 1922.

Now in the following winter and in contrast to their march-past the Garda Pipe Band’s choice of music conjured up the sentiments of a new era:

-    Wrap the green flag round me, boys,

-    To die ‘twere far more sweet,

-     With Erin’s noble emblem, boys,

-     To be my winding sheet.

Change: End of full Pipe Band but not end of Garda Bagpipers

At the end of the year 1922, the Garda Brass Band was nearing perfection under the late Supt. Delaney, and early in 1923, it was decided to the extreme sadness of many, not to maintain two bands in the fledgling police force. Some of the explanations ranged from budget restraints in the newly established Government others said some in Garda management thinking the bagpipes more of an Irish Military Instrument than a peoples friendly unarmed Irish police force instrument. This hardly makes sense as the Irish had been setting up Pipe Bands in Police forces around the world and the new Irish Army had successfully mixed bagpipes and brass like Irish Regiments in other armies. So it is likely that it was indeed a budgetary constraint at the time. Not to mention the country was trying to get back on its feet after over a decade of social and political unrest.

Photo of Garda Band in 1929, there was also bagpipe players in this band who had joined after learning music in Irish pipe bands but ended up playing other brass and reed instruments.

In January 1923, the Garda Pipe Band had one of its final and most auspicious musical engagements. When the Garda Síochána moved the bulk of their new force to the old R.I.C. HQ in Phoenix Park, Dublin. The band led the main body of An Garda Síochána through the main gate of the depot to a lot of ceremony, only this time to the music of "Let Erin Remember the Days of Old."

The Garda Pipe Band, having done an incredible job in testing times for Ireland, did what it was asked to do and intended for. It finally bowed out in early 1923 and Garda Pipe Major John Meighan and the other playing Garda pipe band members were transferred to policing posts around the country.

Tradition Continues: Garda Pipers

Thankfully however, this was not and is not an end to the involvement of the Irish Bagpipes in the Garda Band. For many years the Garda Band has had an official Garda Piper, An Official Garda Pipe Band Uniform and Garda Bagpipes.  The Garda Band has also done collaborations with the other Irish Police Pipe Band, the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Garda Band with Garda Piper Pat Fitzpatrick and members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Pipe Band doing a show in Belfast.

Garda Band performing Amazing Grace with Garda Piper Fitzpatrick

 Legacy of the Pipes: Inspiring Future Generations

The pioneering spirit of the first Garda Pipe Band laid the foundation for subsequent musical ensembles within the Garda Síochána. While the composition of the Garda Band has evolved over the years to include a variety of instruments, the legacy of those first pipers and drummers endures, reminding both officers and the public of the profound connection between Irish culture and the nation's law enforcement.

There is many civilian pipers in the ranks of the Garda in Ireland today. It is the hope of those involved in this blog and those who preserve our bagpiping traditions and pipe bands in Ireland that the powers running the musical future of the Garda Band will preserve and maintain this thousand year old tradition in one of our most important national bands. The Garda Band.

Credit to the following for extra information: the Irish Pipe Band Association, Brian Mac, Pat Fitzpatrick, James McCafferty, John Hunt Sr.