St.Patricks Day

[Peter Brydon]

Best wishes for St.Patricks Day to all.

By one of those coincidences that happen,yesterday I was asked about tunes played by the Pipes and Drums of the Liverpool Irish and I contacted member Eric who was a member of the Pipes and Drums in the 1950`s for assistance and he has sent me a wonderful reply, which I hope he wont mind me sharing below:

Now as regards the tunes we played as a drummer I wasn’t tasked with having to remember tunes
But we did play the traditional tunes EG Wearing of the green, Minstrel Boy, Garryowan Brian Boruh ,Killaloe,Let erin Rember Etc
We were known for the Retreat Performance we did which consisted of Marching on to a Ground ,Field ,etc the only word of command was
By the right quick march we would march on at the end of the part (tune) then go into a slow march at the end of these tunes we would go straight into a quick march at the end of these tunes we would halt and two taps from the lead drummer the drummers would march through the pipers to the front and then form a straight line in the front of the pipes and drum the points of war then blow Retreat on the bugles two taps again and we would go into a March and form up again as a band break off into two ranks and circle crisscrossing and forming a circle we would then play a set of Jigs Hornpipes and Reels at the end of this we would form up again and March off
The Jigs,reels and hornpipes as I can remember were Irish Washerwoman /Harvest Home/High Road to Linton/Paddy Kelly( I wonder why we played that one eh)
the slow marches –Saffron Kilt Let Erin Remember Greenhills these are some of the tunes we played the band had a larger itinerary that each piper was required concentrate on which I would feel correct in saying that most all of the Irish Military Piping tunes would have been played over the time I was in the Band
When we amalgamated into 103 after a period of uncertancy if in fact we would have a Band we lost some of the older members because of age and some not happy about the change Sir Douglas Crawford saved the day by becoming our Honory Colonel and It coincided with the Liverpool Scottish being amalgamated also members of their band not happy with the change transferred into our band and we were back in the game again Sir Douglas bought the Kilts and Plaids we had a guy who made the Belts and Crossbelts we had another who made the Tunics which were made out of black Duffel we were able to get surplus sporrans and hose from the Scottish Depot and during my time we played in all of he big Artillery Tattoos each year we did the Lord Mayors Parade in Liverpool/Liverpool show in Mystery Park/ the Chester Parade and many more I hope I haven’t given you too much info here from 1974 Tommy Savage will give you more info with that I will say Cheerio Best Regards to you and yours Eric

I certainly remember the Pipes and Drums of the Liverpool Irish and the Liverpool Scottish at the Liverpool Shows, it was held on The Mystery ( The local name,the offical name being Wavertree Playground ) which was opposite my old school.If only we had had the digital technology we have today in the past what we could have recorded for posterity.

P.B.

[redadmiral]

Shona la fheile Padraig. Adh mor ort inniu. Chaitheamh an glas

[Peter Brydon]

Good luck to you as well.

Peter