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By default the extended history is on this page, to access the concise history,
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Introduction Blanchardstown Brass Band, originally known as St. Brigids Brass & Reed Band was established in 1826, and has been performing Brass Band music now for over 175 years. The name was changed in 1970 to reflect the All-Brass line-up and also to give the Band a better identity. We have our own Band room adjacent to the church car park in Blanchardstown village and rehearse there on Thursdays and Sundays. As you might have guessed none of the original members are around today, however three of our senior members each have over 50 years service with the band and their dedication is a great example to the other members. They are: Eugene Tully, EbBass; Joe McGregor formally Cornet & now Baritone and Michael Harford formally Cornet & Baritone and now Conductor. In all we have 25 playing members and 8 juniors in training. The Band plays the usual round of Public Parks and Holiday Resort venues during the summer months such as the Phoenix Park Hollow, Bray Promenade, St.Stephen's Green, Dun Laoghaire Pier and any number of local festivals and private functions. Most years we undertake about 20 engagements of approximately 2 hours each and an average recital would include Marches, an Overture, selections from the Musicals, popular & novelty items and of course Irish and International music. The Band is non competitive, the members preferring to rehearse for public performance. We are usually invited to play at all the important events in the Blanchardstown/Castleknock/Clonsilla area and in the new Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. We have appeared on national television and played on national & local radio and appeared in the final scene of the film The Purple Taxi (featuring Peter Ustinof, Charlotte Rampling & Fred Estaire) which was shot on the Pier in Dun Laoghaire. Over the last 175 years the Band has given a good many of the youth in the locality an introduction to music and an appreciation of a wide range of music, something that is still sadly not available through our education system. Many of them have gone on to be professional musicians and the Band still plays a very important educational role in the community, most of our younger members now take music as a subject in their Leaving Cert. We supply all our members with an instrument and uniform and all we ask is that they supply the enthusiasm.
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