Valentia Pipe Band

The pipe band was formed around 1920 after a Scottish piper, Louis Noble, brought his bagpipes to Valentia. There was great interest in his instument and there are records of four pipers playing in Chapeltown in 1920. Prior to the Founding of the pipe band a fife and drum band was already in existence. Noble taught the band members how to read music. The band raised funds and enlisted the help of Tadhg Crowley, a Cork piper, as a tutor who spent three months on the Island tutoring the band.

In 1928 the band competed in a piping contest in Killarney and took second prize. The band did not have uniforms at this time and all togged out in their Sunday best.

Emigration played a big part in the band breaking up sometime around the 1940’s. In 1959, the band was revived. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in April 1963 when a piper, a drummer, and another local man drowned. Out of respect and grief, the band disbanded for a year. In 1964, the Valentia Pipe Band re-formed with four pipers and two learners. Their perseverance paid off when they won the Munster Championship in 1965. This victory marked a significant milestone and demonstrated the band’s resilience and dedication. Séamus Hunt of Newcastle West spent many hours in Valentia teaching the band.

The Band reformed again in 1985 when a number of school going children between the ages of 14 and 18 years were brought together to play. This flowering young musical talent was cultivated in 4 years until they split up in 1989. A recording of the band was made in ‘The Ringside Rest’, Cahersiveen.

The Band once again been reformed in February 2009 consisting of many pipers and drummers from the 1985 band. The band continue to play to this day and they are a testament to a common love of a unique and distinctive musical tradition. The Valentia Pipe Band holds an important place in the island’s culture and history.

The recordings below are from a cassette tape recorded on Thursday March 30th 1989 at ‘The Ringside Rest Hotel’ Cahersiveen.