The Irish Defence ForcesSchool of Music is an organised musical Corps of the Irish Army which maintains the military bands of the army. It contains a directorate and a headquarters made up of 3 military bands. The 97 members of the three bands currently perform at approximately 500 state, military and civilian events annually.
History
The idea for an Army School of Music was first noted in November 1922, when General Richard Mulcahy, the then Chief of Staff, said that he wants to have bands "that will dispense music and musical understanding in the highest terms to the people". The first requirement was for expert military musicians to take on the task of training bands. It is necessary to mention one younger band. At the time, military bands closely followed the precedent of the British Corps of Army Music, with the civilian Brass and Reed Band of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union playing a role in a native Army School of Music. The government originally reached out to the French Republican Guard Band, which was unsuccessful, however they were able to receive training from Germany. One musician in particular, Colonel Wilhelm Fritz Brase, who was the "Royal Music Director" of the Emperor Alexander 1st Guards Grenadiers since 1907, was invited to lead the band on March 1, 1923. By January 1924, the entire operation was transferred from the Curragh, to Beggars Bush Barracks in Dublin. Between 1924 and 1936, a school and three more military bands, all under the title of "The Army School of Music". In 1929, five bands were operational in the army:
7th Infantry Battalion
5th Infantry Battalion
12th Infantry Battalion
2th Infantry Battalion
Colonel Brase died in 1940 and was succeeded by Colonel Sauerzweig, who emigrated to Ireland with Brase, served as director until 1947. 1997 saw a reorganisation of the Defence Forces which also included a reduction in overall strength. The bands of the re-titled Defence Forces School of Music did not remain untouched by this process.
List of Directors
Colonel Wilhelm Fritz Brase
Colonel Christian Sauerzweig
Colonel James Doyle
Colonel John Brennock
Colonel Fred O’Callaghan
Colonel Jim McGee
Colonel Neil O’Brien
Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Power
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Armstrong
Colonel McGee was the longest serving member of the Defence Forces having served from 1938 up until his retirement in 1988.
Mission and contemporary activities
The DFSM has the responsibility for the overall direction of music policy within the Defence Forces. In addition to overseeing all purchases of new instruments, music and band equipment, the DFSM has responsibility of recruiting and training new instrumentalists. Military instrumentalists of the DFSM provide musical support for all aspects of military life. Potential instrumentalists are required to complete an online application form when they are between 18–28 years old. During the Easter Rising centenary parade, the DFSM was represented along with 4 other civilian bands at the from St. Stephen's Green to O'Connell Bridge. Colonel James McGee was responsible for the current arrangement of Amhrán na bhFiann on state occasions. The DFSM composed the anthem based on British military marches and songs of the era. Uilleann piperColm Ó Lochlainn described this version with the following: "The tune is not Irish; it sounds to me something between a Sousa march and a German regimental song".
Uniform
Irish Army Bands wear a black ceremonial uniform with red stripes on the trousers and peak cap type headwear. The DFSM's traditional uniform was Bottle-green, which is one of the standard colours of the Irish Army. Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Power of the DFSM criticized the band's uniform, "It was worst when we'd travel abroad" and that they "didn't look the business." In February 2003, it changed gained its modern uniform in the fourth change of dress since its foundation. Outside of the current one and the bottle green uniform, other uniforms included one with St. Patrick's blue, and a navy blue in the early 1960s. They are made in Antwerp, Belgium, and cost in total €225,000.
Military Bands
Army No. 1 Band
The Army No. 1 Band was formed in 1923 by Colonel Wilhelm Fritz Brase and gave its first public performance under the direction of Colonel Brase at the Theatre Royal in Dublin, in October of that year. The band, was the first of four military bands to be established between 1923 and 1936, is the premier military band of the Irish Army. It performs on all major ceremonial occasions, including the presidential inauguration. It also provides musical support during state visits to Ireland by foreign heads of state. The band has performed at festival and military tattoos in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and France. It is based out of Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin and has been led by Captain Fergal Carroll since 2010.
Band of the 1st Brigade">1st Brigade (Ireland)">1st Brigade
The Band of the 4th Brigade also known as the Army No. 4 Band is another territorial band of the DFSM based in Athlone. It was formed in 1936 and has been located at Custume Barracks in Athlone ever since. The band was previously known as the Band of the Western Command. The band services an area ranging from Westmeath to Donegal. It has had the distinction, unlike other military bands, to have served a six-month tour as part of a United Nations mission in Cyprus in 1965. During its tour, it performed for both the Greek and Turkish communities on the island. It was also the Irish military band to perform in the United Kingdom when it visited Birmingham, England. It has also abroad to perform in festivals and parades in countries such as France, Lebanon and Belgium.
Defence Forces Pipe Bands
Personnel of pipe bands serve in their musical role in addition to their primary military duties as riflemen. Irish pipe bands served in the Congo, Cyprus, and Lebanon and play an important role in maintaining morale. Currently each of the nine Permanent Defence Force infantry battalions has a pipe band trained by the School of Music. The following is a list of DFSM Pipe Bands:
