Churchtown Pipe Band, Athy, Co. Kildare

Churchtown Pipe Band, Athy, County Kildare.

Churchtown Pipe Band - Early 1900’s.

The Churchtown Pipe Band, initially known as St. Patrick’s Pipe Band, Churchtown, has been an important part of Athy’s musical history for over a century. A photograph dating back to 1921 provides a glimpse into the early years of the band, showcasing its members alongside a handmade banner crafted by Brid Darby, who was headmistress of Churchtown School at the time. Darby was not only a skilled artisan but also a founding member of Fianna Fáil in Athy. Her involvement highlights the band’s close ties to the community and the nationalist movement of the era.

The banner held by the band in the 1921 photo symbolised their pride and dedication, but it was destroyed soon afterward during the turbulence of the War of Independence. As Paddy Wright, a local historian, recounts, the Black and Tans attacked the band’s meeting room in Churchtown, ransacking it and tearing the banner to shreds. Despite this setback, the band members persevered, continuing to play and perform in the community. 

Notice the banner which was handmade by Brid Darby who was headmistress of Churchtown school at the time. Ms. Darby was one of the founding members of Fianna Fail in Athy.

One of the band’s most memorable features was its unusual mascot: a goat. According to local legend, this goat began following the band members during practice sessions, sometimes even leaping across a six-foot ditch to keep up with them. The band eventually adopted the goat as an honorary member, and he became their official mascot, draped with a green, white, and gold rope when he accompanied the band in public appearances. This unusual addition added to the band’s charm and strengthened its connection with the people of Athy, who recognised the goat as part of the Churchtown group.

Throughout its history, the Churchtown Pipe Band included many prominent local figures as members. Among them were Patrick and John Wright, John, Christopher, Gerard, and Hannah Byrne, as well as Joe Luttrell, Joe Fennelly, Patrick Dunphy, A. Hyland, L. Hutchinson, G. Moore, and T. Bambrick. Each of these individuals contributed to the band’s legacy, participating in performances and upholding the musical tradition that Churchtown had come to represent. Their commitment helped the band maintain its presence through changing times, even as new bands formed in the region.

An image of St. Patrick’s Pipe Band, Churchtown, pictures with their Tara Brooches, Bagpipes and Banner in the background.

Athy has supported various pipe bands over the years, including St. Brigid’s Pipe Band from the Bert and Kilberry area, which was active until around 1922, when several members joined the National Army or emigrated. By the mid-1930s, the Churchtown Pipe Band had re-emerged, gaining enough recognition to feature on 2RN, the radio station that would later become Radio Éireann. This early broadcasting exposure brought Churchtown’s music to a wider audience, further establishing its place in Irish pipe band history.

During World War II, the Churchtown Pipe Band was temporarily succeeded by the L.S.F. Piper’s Band, reflecting the region’s patriotic spirit and the strong influence of the war effort. However, the local pipe band tradition remained alive, and the Churchtown band was eventually revived, continuing to perform through the latter half of the 20th century and into the early 21st century, and the band are still in operation today as far as we know.

A recent image of the Churchtown pipe band and the Irish Air Corps pipe band at the National Ploughing Championships.

In its most recent years, the Churchtown Pipe Band was an active presence at events across Ireland, sharing its music with audiences far and wide. Notable appearances included the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Lisdoonvarna in 2011, the 80th National Ploughing Championships, and St. Patrick’s Day parades in Portlaoise, Athy, and Baltinglass. The band also played at a function in Kildangan Church in 2012 and made a memorable appearance at the Cliffs of Moher in 2009. One significant event in 2016 was the Nurse Kehoe Commemoration in Ballinabranna, County Carlow, where the band honoured a respected figure in the locality. 

St. Laserian Pipe Band, The Swan, Athy. Evidence of another pipe band in Athy and proof of an Irish Piping stronghold. 

 Churchtown Pipe Band is part of a broader tradition of music in Athy, which dates back to the late 18th century. Other bands in the town’s history include the Leinster Street Fife and Drum Band, often associated with the Irish Volunteers, and the Barrack Street Band, which drew many of its members from demobilised World War I soldiers. There were also the St. Joseph’s Fife and Drum Band and St. Joseph’s Brass Band, both based at St. Joseph’s Terrace, as well as St. Dominic’s Band in the Woodstock area.

Today, the story of the Churchtown Pipe Band proves as great evidence to Athy’s fantastic musical past. From its humble beginnings, through adversity, and with an enduring spirit of the local community, the band has left a lasting mark on the region’s cultural and musical heritage. The details of its past live on in photos, newspaper accounts, and the memories of those who saw the band in action or heard its music echoing through the streets of Athy.

Link to the current bands Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100039596621777 

 
More images of pipers and bands in Athy over the years: