Pipe Major Tim Keogh - Fintan Lalor Pipe Band
The Legendary Pipe Major Tim Keogh of the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band
Tim Keogh was a fantastic leader of the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band from County Dublin, Ireland. Tim took over as Pipe Major in 1953 after being the Pipe Sergeant for several years. He was amazing at playing the bagpipes and the violin, and he even wrote his own music. One of his special tunes, called "The One and Only," was dedicated to his former leader, Paddy Solan.
Fintan Lalor Pipe Band
Competing and Winning
In the 1950s, there were many pipe band competitions in Ireland. A band called Ballycoan, led by William Wood, was very strong, winning many titles. Under Tim's leadership, the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band won their first All Ireland title in 1954 and a drumming title in 1956. Even though they didn’t win the All Ireland title every year, they often came close, finishing second five times and third once. Only in 1958 did they not make the top three, when another Dublin band, St Laurence O’Toole, won.
The “An Tostal” Festivals
From 1953 to 1958, the Irish Government ran festivals called ‘An Tostal,’ which included pipe band competitions. In the first contest in 1953, bands from all over Ireland and the UK came to compete. The Fintan Lalor Pipe Band came second, but they won the title in the next five years, often competing against top bands from Northern Ireland.
Fintan Lalor Pipe Band, 1952.
Junior Band and World Championships
The band also had a junior team led by Paddy Solan Jr., which did very well in Grade 4 competitions. In 1956, the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band competed in the World Pipe Band Championships in Belfast. Their drummers, led by Christy Merrigan, won the Grade 1 drumming title, even though they had to borrow drums and sticks from another band because of a last-minute problem (and also had to lend their bass drummer, Mickey Carroll, to Renfrew pipe band on the day - this was possible as major contests were all MSR’s back then).
Success in the 1960s
The 1960s were very competitive for pipe bands in Ireland, with five different bands winning the All Ireland titles. However, the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band won four of these titles. In 1960, after winning their seventh All Ireland title, they marched through Dublin, led by Tim Keogh.
In 1962, the band celebrated its 50th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, they were supposed to receive a special banner from the Cowal Gathering Committee, but it wasn’t ready in time. Instead, the Marchioness of Lorne made a symbolic presentation to Tim Keogh, and the banner was given to them later.
Around this time, the band recorded an album called "Irish Bagpipes" at the Fitzgerald Studios in Dublin. In the early 1960s, they won several contests at Ballyclare in 1962, 1963, and 1964. Their last All Ireland Open Grade drumming championship came in 1966, and they won the Hamilton Shield at Cowal in 1968 and 1971.
Irish Bagpipes - The Fintan Lalor Pipe Band of Dublin
Later Years and Legacy
In 1972, the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band became the Grade 2 Champions at the All Ireland competition. In 1974, as a Grade 2 band, their drummers won their section and came second in the Open Grade. When Tim Keogh retired, he was highly respected in the pipe band world and became an adjudicator at major contests in Scotland.
Tim Keogh's leadership and musical talent made a huge impact on the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band, and his legacy continues to inspire many in the pipe band community.
Purchase the digital copy of Tim Keogh’s music book for bagpipes here:
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