Philadelphia pipes and drums

The Philadelphia Police and Fire Pipes and Drums is a ceremonial bagpipe and drum band with the primary mission of servicing the Philadelphia Police and Fire departments. Please note Jim McGilvery Bagpipes Philadelphia His music and decorum were perfectly appropriate and helped make the day what we envisioned. I was not able to speak with him but I have already recommended him to the funeral director for future needs. The band was formed to preserve the great Celtic musical tradition of pipes and drums, and to honor the family and friends of the greater South Philadelphia area in both their time of sorrow and joy.

I appreciate you allowing me to participate and for recommending me to the director. To those of you who are new to our mission, we welcome you aboard. During his term as Pipe Major, Dave led the band to many successes in the competition circle and also led the band to play at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Scotland. Hall, Sr. C - Plaid. We are also proud to serve our community and provide social entertainment and enjoyment at a variety of events.

Washington Memorial Pipe Band is dedicated to presenting the very best in Highland piping and drumming in the Philadelphia area. If you would like to request the band at your event, please contact He took special requests and dressed in the Scottish tradition we requested. Dave retired from his position as Pipe Major in Important bands in the early Philadelphia punk scene include The Dead Milkmen , a band that played an often sarcastic and humorous variant of hardcore punk.

We would love for you to join us. D - Plaid Broach Hire us for any special occasion. He was a young man and boarded with a family in the city of Philadelphia. Make your next event memorable! The band has performed in this area, as well as surrounding states, and on several occasions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Thank you Anna so much. We take pride in our heritage, our music and our band, but most importantly we know how to have fun! It is not known if Biden will make an appearance at the parade. Hare, whose father was a city firefighter from to , said extending an invitation to the New York City Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums also was an important element to the parade.

Mullets and 'mom jeans': These former fashion faux pas are making a comeback. The band started in as a way for firefighters to honor their Irish heritage and has since become "the heart and soul" of the FDNY.

It is the largest fire service pipe band. Hare said the parade also will include 11 other pipe and drum corps bands, and two groups from the Philadelphia Mummers organizations. More than 20 bands and over 40 fire companies, police agencies, paramedics and emergency medical services along with their apparatus also are expected to march in Wilmington's parade.

The Wilmington Fire Department is a career, professional fire department established in It has six engine companies, two ladder companies, and a marine firefighting force.

Verne never saw this coming. Verne was a very humble man, a very proud man and he held the AOH in his heart strongly, serving the many roles he participated in over the year with great honor, valor and dignity.

His intentions were always sincere and in the best interest of the AOH, constantly striving to uphold the values of what the AOH stands for. In addition to being an asset for the AOH, and a well respected Hibernian Brother across the state, Verne was a former semi-pro ball player who kept us entertained with wonderful stories of years past, but most importantly, Verne was a loving husband and wonderful father.

I could sit for hours telling you all the exceptional qualities of Verne—the list goes on and on. Verne will be missed like words cannot explain. Verne will get a send off on Saturday like no other!!! As the photos and video show … it looks like band members had a good time. But what a way to go, as members and friends of a gen-u-wine Irish-American bagpipe band, and one of the most popular in the Delaware Valley at that.

With friends and family, 78 people altogether are going on this trip. The festival takes place from April 26 through May 1. So, says Hand, this journey has been a long time coming. I think its really going to be fun. Of course, there will be plenty of time for sight-seeing as well.

The travelers will do the obligatory Ring of Kerry, take in the white-knuckle view 1, feet above sea level from Conor Pass, and visit the Cliffs of Moher. Hand also notes that in Dingle, a town of 1, when nothing else is going on, there are 52 pubs. Band members are likely to belly up to the bar in, oh, a few of them. Obviously, it means a lot to you, but why? The AOH means a lot to me because our organization has really grown over the years to helping people, schools and churches in need.

This was a great moment for our division. To be in the AOH, you have to a. What generation are you? Do you know where your family is from and how they wound up in Philadelphia? A Hand has served in every war up to Vietnam. My great, great uncle Christy lost his leg in the Civil War. My grandfather Jim Hand, who lived in Philly, lost everything when the Market crashed.

He had a garage down off the Parkway around 22nd street. He owned just about the whole block and had the city contacts for vehicle repairs, along with other contracts.

Well, he lost everything and to get by they began making their own beer and selling it. The neighbors used to call them the Irish Mafia.

My dad used to say they had to eat corn flakes three times a day at times, just to have something to eat. A loaf of bread was only a nickel … but nobody had a nickel. Oh, and sleeping from time to time.

In other words, what do you do for a living? Tell us a bit about that. Seems like when I hit the lounge chair I have no trouble falling asleep. I have been with the turnpike for 27 years. I collected tolls for 25 years and now I work in the maintenance office at Plymouth Meeting. How did you get involved in that? Why did you want to do that? Well I always had a liking for bands. I used to live in the Fairmount area by the Parkway and, as you know, there was always a parade for something and my parents always took me down to them.

I became involved with the Irish Thunder, first, by marching with the division color guard, which participates with the band in events. Our drum major John Sargent became ill and was not able to return. After a couple months without John, there was talk of needing a drum major. I told the band members that I would like to try it and Verne Leedom, another past drum major of the Thunder, gave me some lessons to get me started. Were you surprised by your selection as Grand Marshal of the St.