Overview
Scotsman Louis Noble brought his bagpipes to Valentia in the 1920’s and there is evidence of 4 pipers having played in Chapeltown as early as 1920. It was Noble who taught the young piping enthusiasts in Valentia how to read music but later it was the famous Cork piper Tadgh Crowley who polished them off. He spent 3 months on a teaching mission before he left. Money was scarce and the community suffered greatly from emigration. In time a band was started up and the long March to Chapeltown on St. Patrick’s Day became an annual event. Again on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight the band would play again! The band continued to play into the 1940’s and 1950’s.
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.
The Band have once again been reformed in February 2009 consisting of many pipers and drummers from the 1985 band. It is hoped that many young islanders will gather interest in piping and drumming with a view to continue this shared common love of a unique and distinctive musical tradition.
