Irish Thunder circling up in Galway (Photo courtesy, Irish Thunder Pipes and Drums)
Here’s how popular Irish Thunder Pipes and Drums was as they paraded through one of Ireland’s most picturesque cities for annual Galway Sessions Parade.
“Three times along the parade route, the band was asked to stop and play,” says Drum Major Pete Hand. “When we did that, the band was circled with onlookers. Each time, the Garda had to clear a path for the band to continue.”
The parade—the focal point of a trip planned by piper Joe Cassidy, with assistance from Frank Larkin—was just the beginning of a trip that will hold a place of prominence in the memories from a lot of pipers and drummers—along with a lot of other travelers who joined the band on the trip. Including band members and guests, there were 119 people.
The trip included some pretty great stops.
“All of the sites we saw were inspiring,” Hand recalls. “The Lady of Knock Shrine, The Great Causeway, the Aran Islands with its 300- foot incline to the top. The Rope Bridge, Titanic Museum, Trinity College, Book of Kells, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Cliffs of Moher—and let us not forget the Guinness and Tullamore Dew Tours!”
Of course, if an Irish pipe band is going to travel to Ireland, you’d expect them to play. And that they did. In addition to the parade, they played out in front of the famous Crane’s Pub, and along Shop Street, both in Galway.
One notable unscheduled appearance: what Hand refers to as “an Irish pipe band flash mob at The Temple Bar in Dublin. And there were other moments, some inspirational, like the time Cassidy and fellow piper Mike Brown played “Amazing Grace” on Inis Mor.
And yet one more moment, Hand thinks, that no one in the band will forget. It came on a visit to Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 1 in Derry.
“There was a ceili going on, and when the band went on break it was our turn to play. After playing some tunes that everyone really enjoyed, the people in the hall were asked to rise for the “Anthem Set.” When we played the “Soldiers Song,” everyone sung at attention. It was a very moving moment.”
The band shared some of their photos. Here they are.
