The Evolution of Limerick City’s Fife and Drum Band Tradition 1840 to 1935 Derek Mulcahy Ph.D (History) Mary Immaculate College University of Limerick 2017 External Examiner: Dr Paul Rouse Internal Examiner: Dr Caitriona Clear Supervisor: Dr Maura Cronin Contents Candidate’s Declaration .......................................................................................................................... 3 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Literature Review. ................................................................................................................................... 9 Primary Sources ................................................................................................................................ 18 Oral Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 20 Contribution to Scholarship. ............................................................................................................. 22 Thesis layout ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Chapter 1: The Temperance Movement and Bands ............................................................................. 25 Limerick’s Temperance beginnings ................................................................................................... 25 Alcohol and Sobriety ......................................................................................................................... 26 Respectability .................................................................................................................................... 28 Popular Enthusiasm .......................................................................................................................... 32 Spread of the Bands .......................................................................................................................... 35 Temperance and political demonstrations ....................................................................................... 41 Decline of Temperance Bands .......................................................................................................... 53 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 56 Chapter 2: Local and National Identity ................................................................................................. 57 Location and social class: .................................................................................................................. 63 Band and Religious occasions. .......................................................................................................... 69 National identity ............................................................................................................................... 70 Political and local divisions. .............................................................................................................. 88 Pipes or fifes? .................................................................................................................................. 100 The Volunteer movement and band ............................................................................................... 102 Bands and republican sympathies after 1916 ................................................................................ 105 Post-treaty politics: ......................................................................................................................... 109 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 113 Chapter 3. The Army Connection ....................................................................................................... 116 Army bands and recruiting: ............................................................................................................ 118 Maintaining control: ....................................................................................................................... 121 1 Military bands and public displays .................................................................................................. 127 Local pride in army: ......................................................................................................................... 132 Uniforms ......................................................................................................................................... 141 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 152 Chapter 4: Bands and Organisational Ability ..................................................................................... 153 Learning the music: ......................................................................................................................... 154 Financial Issues: .............................................................................................................................. 156 Fund-raising .................................................................................................................................... 161 Band Halls and their functions ........................................................................................................ 167 Commitment and Divisions ............................................................................................................. 175 Musical Opportunity ....................................................................................................................... 177 Diaspora and local bands: ............................................................................................................... 184 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 187 Chapter 5: Music and Competition ..................................................................................................... 189 Nationalistic tunes .......................................................................................................................... 195 Band Music Arrangements:............................................................................................................. 200 Instrumentation .............................................................................................................................. 203 Competition and Band contests ....................................................................................................... 208 Contest participation occurrences. .................................................................................................. 219 Conclusion. .......................................................................................................................................... 226 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 243 Primary Sources .................................................................................................................................. 243 Interviews........................................................................................................................................ 243 Band Records .................................................................................................................................. 243 Newspapers .................................................................................................................................... 244 Parliamentary Reports .................................................................................................................... 246 Competition Programmes ............................................................................................................... 246 Trade Directories............................................................................................................................. 246 Witness Statements (Bureau of Military History). .......................................................................... 247 Secondary sources. ............................................................................................................................. 247 Articles ............................................................................................................................................ 247 Books ............................................................................................................................................... 249 Journal Articles ................................................................................................................................ 253 Academic papers ........................................................................................................................