An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 15 This No. 3 Band was originally less than thirty members and had an emphasis on German instrumentation, with Sergeant Major Flahive acting as Conductor. From its earliest days, the band played an integral part in the life of the local community, with members teaching music in local schools and assisting local bands. In 1935, Sgt Dermot O'Hara took over as Conductor; later commissioned, he continued in this appointment until 1943. During the Emergency years, the Bands played an increasingly important role in boosting morale on route marches and the 'Big Inspection' and 'Step Together Week' events of this period. Lt Kealy and Lt Doherty acted as conductor from 1943 until the appointment of Sgt Pat King in 1945. Band member Captain Dermot O'Hara became conductor of the Radio Éireann Orchestra in the post-Emergency years. CS Peter Mulreid acted as conductor after 1950 and in 1952, Corkman Lt Denis Mellerick was appointed Conductor of the No 3 Band and was to serve 35 years in this role. It was later noted that: "his ability to generate mood and emotional response in interpretation drew large appreciative audiences wherever he appeared… thousands of soldiers marched with spring in their flagging steps to his sparkling rhythm of marital music. Their morale was lifted despite the frost, the bleak Curragh winds of winter or the sweltering heat of summer." In 1955, the No 3 Band was joined by the young Bandsman TJ Boyle who in later years as Superintendent Boyle was the musical director of the Garda Band from 1972 to 1988. By 1956, the No 3 Band was renamed Band of the Curragh Training Camp. Regular duties at this time included GOC's Inspections and such religious events as the Corpus Christi Procession. During the sixties the band was on duty on many historic occasions including the state visit of President JF Kennedy in 1963. In 1965 alone, they provided honours at the opening of Galway Cathedral, the opening of Tynagh Mines and the funeral of Roger Casement. They even participated in production of the motion picture 'The Blue Max.' In 1967, the band won the prestigious John McCormack Cup. Other notable occasions included the opening of the Gulf Oil Terminal in Bantry in 1969, the 50th anniversary ceremony of the death of General Michael Collins in Béal na Bláth and the funeral of President Childers in 1974. These events were in addition to the Band's regular duties at commissioning ceremonies, passing out parades, guards of honour at Áras an Uachtáran and military funerals. Other regular tasks included charity fundraisers, the RDS Spring Show and the Kilkenny Arts Festival. In that year, Commandant Mellerick retired after over three decades as Conductor and was replaced in this role by fellow Corkman Capt Pat Dermody, formerly of the Garda Band. He in turn was replaced by Capt Joe Ryan. When Captain Mark Armstrong became Conductor in 1990, the Band of the Curragh Command was at a strength of forty bandsmen. In that year, the band participated in the inauguration of President Mary Robinson. Apart from performances at RTÉ, Cork City Hall and the National Concert Hall, a particularly popular duty was the many informal concerts for local schools where children were introduced to instruments and even given conducting lessons. In 1992, Armstrong and two band members travelled to Lebanon to play a series of concerts for UNIFIL forces. By 1998, the strength of the band had decreased to 28 instrumentalists ('crisis point' according to Armstrong). As a consequence of the Defence Forces Reorganisation of that year, the Curragh Command was disestablished and the camp was re-designated the Defence Forces Training Centre; this new DFTC however would no longer have a military band. In January 1999, the Chief of Staff (Lt Gen Mangan) informed the OC ASM (Lt Col Power) that the Band of the Curragh Command was to be amalgamated with and absorbed into the No 1 Army Band. In 2002, the Band of the Curragh Command was formally disbanded. Many career soldiers had the band play at their commissioning ceremonies or passing-out parades and a few had the same band play at their stand-down parades. The band had also rendered honours at many military funerals. Their loss would be felt keenly. The Curragh Band on parade Command Band pictured with GOC DFTC in

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