‘The Fife Drummers’ Band
in Anglesboro
The existence of a fife and drummers’ band, based in the village of Anglesboro during the Second World War years, was highlighted in the Galtee View Lounge, Anglesboro in late 2019, when a framed handwritten document was presented to local community activist, Patrick English.
The document, in the author’s handwriting, is a poem/ballad entitled ‘The Fife and Drummers’ Band’. It illustrates the story of the formation of the band and the happenings surrounding same. No doubt the formation of the band created a bit of division at local level in a dreary and dreadful time.
A Fife and Drummers’ Band was not new to Anglesboro and it’s quite possible that at least some of the members had played with a previous fife and drum band that was in the ‘Boro.
“There was a fife and drum band in Anglesboro towards the end of the nineteenth century and the following are the recollections of some of the band members. The late Jim Fitzgerald of Annaslinga Cross, recalled carrying the big drum on his back across the fields to Kilclooney for the unveiling of the monument to the noble Fenian, Peter O’Neill Crowley.” (DML)
Jim Fitzgerald was eight years old when the Peter O’Neill Crowley Monument was unveiled in 1898. The event at Kilclooney was probably a later commemoration rather than the actual unveiling.
“Jim Callaghan (19061981), a former secretary of the band, also remembered the (earlier) fife and drum band going to the station of Knocklong, to welcome back volunteers Sullivan and Walsh when they were released from jail in 1918. The band played them up through Ballylanders with David English in charge.” (DML)
“During what is often described as the troubled times the instruments were stored in “Dick’s Bakehouse” at the cross (Anglesboro). In 1921, the Black and Tans stole the drums and destroyed them. The croppy pike and Fenian flag were not discovered, as they were hidden in the rafters over the shoemaker’s shop later known as the ‘Club’. The British Government later compensated the band committee for the loss of the drums with a payment of £14.00.” (DML)
‘YOU COULD SMELL THEM BEFORE YOU COULD SEE THEM’
The formation, or re-formation of the band, occurred in the early 1940s.
“They continued playing for a few years mainly at sports meetings and feiseanna. They bought their first fifes from Crowley’s in Cork. Approximately sixteen members played the fifes in this band. These first fifes were 1.75 inches in diameter. They cost 12 shillings or €0.60 each.
While they were well equipped with fifes the same could not be said about the drums, as all they had were small dance band drums or kettle drums. However, they had an easily recognised bass drum about 20 inches wide and it was made from the skin of a puck goat. When the fife and drum band was marching on the road at night it was said you could smell them before you could see them due to the puck skin.”
(Kilbehenny Anglesboro Parish Magazine No 22) “Their first music lessons were given by the late Jimmy Fitzgerald, Mitchelstown and they were also taught by P.J. Kiely, N.T. Anglesboro.” (DML) The ballad was written by a young teacher from Bantry, Domhall Óg Ó Ceocháin (Donal Keohane) who was appointed to a teaching post in Anglesboro circa 1944.
His grandniece Cáit O’Leary, also a teacher at Anglesboro National School, filled us in further on Donal’s background in an article in the Kilbehenny Anglesboro Parish Magazine (Issue No 23). Cáit explained that Donal was a native of Carn Coomhola near Bantry, Co. Cork. He was one of ten children, born into a poor farming background and was a Gaeilgeoir ó dhúchas. Due to their command of the Irish language, he and his brother Mick were chosen for training college after completing the preparatory exam.
He taught for around four years in Anglesboro NS and stayed with Jim and Deb Callaghan, Lackendarra. A few years after leaving Anglesboro, he met and married Bridie Lambe, set up home and reared a family at Model Farm Road, Cork. The Irish language, GAA, farming and poetry were his abiding interests. He was later in charge of the Department of Agriculture’s poultry farm at Model Farm Road, Cork.
Donal was closely associated with and one-time uachtaráin of Dáimh Scoil, a Cork based summer school for Irish scholars and poets. He also published two books of Irish poetry. Donal, who maintained contact with his friends in Anglesboro long after he departed from Anglesboro National School, died in June 2005.
The fife and drum band had a short existence as the members decided to discard the fifes in favour of the war pipes and the present day Liam Lynch Memorial Pipe Band, Anglesboro, was founded.
THE FIFE AND DRUMMERS’ BAND
I come from Anglesboro
But that name I think is wrong,
I’m going to call it Gleann na gCreabhar
In this nice little song.
It lies beneath Teampaillín
With Paradise near at hand, And from it comes with fifes and drums
This fine old Irish band. Sure Gleann na gCreabhar has lost its power
For some few years gone past,
‘Til one fine night some months ago
The spirits rose at last. Some of the boys were chatting
And one said “it would be grand,
To have again in Gleann na gCreabhar
A fife and drummers’ band”. So a committee was formed Their names I will not give, But evermore in Gleann na gCreabhar
Their names will always live.
The funds were soon provided
And sure everyone gave a hand,
In the getting of equipment For our fife and drummers’ band.
A new teacher came to Gleann na gCreabhar
Keohane it was his name, I though he was a Kerry back
the
But I find him all in vain. He comes from Bantry Bay I think
But still he gives a hand, In the teaching of the music To our fife and drummers’ band.
O’ the grand new fifes were purchased
And sure then the sport began,
Three weeks it took to fill them
On some who hadn’t the plan.
But by degrees the music came
And the scale was soon in hand,
And one by one the tunes were done
By our fife and drummers’ band.
Sure they come each night for lessons
To the club down by the cross,
They are taught by Mr. Kiely Who speaks Irish with a blas.
They practiced marching out by night
And everyone said ‘twas grand,
To listen to the music
Of the fife and drummers’ band.
On the twenty seventh of August
The year being forty four, The sports were held in Gleann na gCreabhar,
The band displayed “ceól”.
The Fenian flag was taken out
In Billy Cleary’s hand,
The flag that led in Land League days
The Galtee Mountain Band. On the ninth day of September
We held our Ceili mór, T’was down in Ballylanders In Mrs Connery’s floor.
They turned out a huge success
They take all into hand, They showed the popularity Of a fife and drummers’ band.
Now there is one little incident
its Which I may truly say, It happened on a meadow field
On a lovely summer’s day, The horses they refused to mow
‘Till the driver took in hand, His mellow fife and off they went
For God Save Ireland.
The children out at play each day
They have delightful fun, Some bring fifes and some bring sticks
A bucket acts as a drum, Wrap the Green Flag fills the air
And really it is grand,
To see them imitate the men Of a fife and drummers’ band.
Subscriptions from all quarters came
To tog and help us out,
From farmers and from labourers,
Priests and everyone.
There still is room for plenty more
So besure and give a hand, To foster Irish music Through the fife and drummers’ band.
Now here’s a health to everyone
Who helped in any way, To make this band the pride and joy
Of Gleann na gCreabhar to-day.
I wish it sweet prosperity And God give a helping hand,
May He look with eyes of mercy
On the members of the band. One of the band members Denis Cleary, a young blacksmith living and working in the village, passed away in June 1945. Donal was moved to compose a poem in his memory.
THE DRUMMER BOY
A Fog has filled o’er Gleann na gCreabhar since early Monday morn,
The sun has hid behind the clouds, the glen is all forlorn.
The birds are silent on the trees, although it is July,
All nature joins us to lament our own dear drummer boy.
Our band has lost a member, a drummer and what’s more,
A founder whose departure has left our hearts full sore,
Our players have lost an actor, our forge has lost a smith;
God comfort his dear people for they are hardest hit
No more upon the kettle drum the forte he will roll,
No more he’ll utter from his lips his saying so gay and droll,
No more he’ll stand within the forge and blow the bellows strong,
No more he’ll act upon the stage, or sing a gay old song.
His soul has flown to God above, his body is lying low,
But never from out thoughts and lips, this grand gay lad will go.
Let’s all combine in one short line to the King who rules on high,
Have mercy, Lord, upon the soul of our dear Drummer Boy.
It was a kin’s man of the ‘The Drummer Boy’ Michael Cleary, who came into possession of the document through his grandmother, the poetess Hannie Condon Cleary. Hannie had requested a copy of the poem from Donal Ó Ceocháin, shortly after he composed it. He gladly obliged with a signed transcript.
Michael fulfilled a long held desire to have his prized possession on public display when he presented the framed document to Patrick English back in 2019. It is on display at Galtee View Bar, Anglesboro since then. Be aware, however, that the transcript is not legible in a few places, but just ask the proprietress, Catherine Barry, to recite same. Her rendition is worthy of inclusion on RTE’s Sunday Miscellany.
REFERENCES
(DML) Down Memory Lane with the Liam Lynch Pipe Band 1988.
(KB AB Par Mag) Kilbehenny Anglesboro Parish Magazine.