Carlingford pipe band has its origins dating back to 1918 where it began as a flute and drum band, two years later in 1920 one of its members Philip Clarke otherwise known as Big Phil went on to form St. Michaels Pipe and Drum Band. The band entertained at festivals, fairs, football matches, gatherings, and also local parades around the county of Louth.
In the 1930s the band practices were held in Hibernian hall at Riverlane and later at The Wee lane school house. Funding for the band in those times was achieved by way of local dances and it even had a dramatic society which also providing the necessary funding for instruments and uniforms. During the 1930s the uniform consisted of a black tunic with Bandolier belts, maroon kilts, a large green shawl with a Tara brooch all set off with a Glengarry cap and large buckles on black brogues.
Some of the history of the band that has been recalled was on Christmas morning 1920 marching by torchlight to 7am mass to St. Michaels Church. By 1933 saw the elevation of the St Michaels Band achieve recognition at the County Feiseanna in Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. A report in1935 Louth Championship Final at the Athletic grounds in Dundalk saw the appearance of the band enhance the spirits of Cooley Kickhams Football team to take the prize on the day. The report goes as – As I passed up the stand through the dense crowds, everywhere I saw Cooley colours. In the stand there was a vociferous gathering, everyman prepared to roar his larynx out, as his share in the deeds of the day. Then the final touch, with moral support coming from the Carlingford Pipe Band leading the teams to the field. It was traditionally known in Cooley that the Kickhams paraded on to the field with only fourteen men only to find one of its members Alphonsus (Phonsie) Delaney change from his band uniform to his traditional Cooley Kickhams colours, wearing two caps on the day of his club final for which they went on to win. Another memory from September 1939 saw the band travel to Drogheda in Co. Louth playing at Blessed Oliver Plunketts celebrations they travelled by train from Newry in Northern Ireland to Drogheda Co. Louth in the Republic of Ireland and upon the return journey they had to travel in darkness once they crossed the border due to World war 2 regulations. The outbreak of the war saw a temporary suspension of band activity. A return in 1943 they played to an admirable crowd at the Cooley races and thus marched home a five mile journey afterwards. . From 1952 to 1972 the band was retired from activity mostly due to Immigration. It was revived in 1973 composed mainly of a youthful essence thanks mainly to the encouragement and enthusiasm of local men Benny Fretwell, Pat Joe Kearney and Des Mc Crum also assisted by John Thornton brothers Larry and Jimmy Brennan Luke Clarke sr and Fred Adamson.
In 1973 and newly reformed under the name The Carlingford Pipe Band which was the same year that the local GAA Football club Cooley Kickhams GFC once again had won the Louth championship bringing home the Joe Ward Cup. The streets of Carlingford were lined with what could have been described as a massive crowd to welcome Captain Terry Brennan (Senator Brennan) and his team mates, where once again the pipe band entertained and paraded the winning team’s success, with only having been only reformed 9 months the band had to parade in their civilian clothing as uniforms had not been available to the newly formed members. A new uniform design consisted of a green tunic, saffron kilt, saffron shawl and a Tara Broach. In 1974 the band once again paraded Cooley Kickhams Football club this time it was in the Leinster senior football final in Drogheda Co. Louth. By the summer of 1980 one of the major successes was during the Carlingford Oyster Festival where the band hosted a competition with bands representing both north and south of Ireland attending. The finale was when the completion was over the bands marched from one end of the village to the other creating an entourage over half a mile long of pipe band sound that day. The reformed band travelled the length and breadth of Ireland for 25 years participating in competitions, parades, festival and many more outings. In the late 1980s’ the success at competition raised the profile and confidence of the band to the next level. It was decided that the band should set its sights to travel to New York to participate in the St Patricks Day Parade. New uniforms created an exciting new image and the success of the band achieved a high point when they eventually travelled to New York for the St Patricks day parade in 1989 achieving the highest accolade of first place in the international section for its attendance. They followed on to Boston availing of the opportunity to participate in many similar events. With a new level of enthusiasm and a spirited attitude the band found its number of members growing due to its success. Within two years the Carlingford Pipe Band was jet setting again the year 1991this time to Canada as part of the Cooley Peninsula Cultural Exchange. Two weeks of playing and marching in various cultural centres and on and indigenous reservation saw the stature and confidence of the band evolving. By now the band had achieved confidence and energy equal to many bands of its day. The Canadian cultural exchange program saw visitors from Canada and an indigenous ceremonial dance on the Green area in the village of Carlingford. Former Prime Minister of Canada Mr. Brian Mulroney visited Carlingford village to unveil the Thomas Darcy Mc Gee monument with the Carlingford Pipe Band leading the cortege. Throughout the 1990s and to the present day many dignitaries have been hosted upon visiting the village. Various pipe band festivals have been held in the village echoing the past and entertaining the present with the traditional sound that we associate within the village of Carlingford.
Today the home of the Carlingford Pipe Band is St Michael’s hall in Newry Street Carlingford where the members practice tenaciously each Wednesday evening.
The success of the band had been assisted by a host of collaborators and experts in the field of pipe band tuition, people such as Terry Tully from the World Champion Laurence O’ Toole band who had travelled on the tours of USA 1989 and Canada in 1991 with the pipe band. Also we thank Anthony Fitzpatrick from the Thomas Davis pipe band in Newry for his tuition during the late 1970s’.
From the 1920s entertaining by torchlight on Christmas morning to the Neon lights of the USA in 1989 certainly set band on a journey of success. One of our members James Hanratty achieved first place success playing with the Laurence O Toole pipe band in the world band competition in Scotland. Today the band is still entertaining and with most the members of the original band from the 1970s’ still holding their post. New members encourage tradition to keep to stimulus of the band alive. Like most bands in their community, members come from a lineage of original members. The band has been described as being a pillar of the community and in more recent years the DNA of the community integrity. Always ready to entertain where it is a joy to see the musical talent and colour on the streets yet.