The Garda Band is coming to Laois for a special concert

A very special concert is due to take place to mark the Centenary of An Garda Síochána in Laois on Friday, October 21.

The Laois Offaly Divisional Gala Concert in aid of Laois Hospice and Cara Curley Fund will be held in SS Peter and Paul’s Church in Portlaoise. 

The Laois Offaly Divisional Gala Concert is hosting the event which will be held in SS Peter and Paul’s Church in Portlaoise.

Apart from marking 100 years of the foundation of the gardaí, it will also benefit both Laois Hospice and the Cara Curley fund.

The two hour concert gets underway at 8pm but will be pre-ceded by tea and coffee thanks to the Portlaoise Community Policing Unit.

Laois Gardaí invited the community to attend.

"Please encourage your family and friends to support this very worthy cause,” it said.

Tickets cost €10 and are available at Eventbrite.com. Tickets can be purchased by email to Portlaoise.community@garda.ie and text or call Sergeant Jason Hughes on 0830246193

The Garda Band was established shortly after the establishment of An Garda Síochána. It gave its first public performance on Dun Laoghaire Pier on Easter Monday, 1923. So great was its impact that it was invited to play at various functions and events throughout the country. Under the direction of the first Bandmaster, Superintendent D.J. Delaney, a céile band, pipe band and dance orchestra were formed from within its ranks.

In 1938, the Dublin Metropolitan Garda Band (which was based at Kevin Street) and the Garda Band amalgamated. The new band was based at the Depot in the Phoenix Park. In 1964 the Band toured the USA and Canada under Bandmaster Superintendent J. Moloney. The Band was disbanded the following year but was re-established in 1972 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of An Garda Síochána.  

Besides providing music for official Garda functions (such as graduation ceremonies at the Garda College) the Band undertakes a heavy community-orientated programme each year performing at schools, festivals and sporting events. It has a long association with Lansdowne Road for rugby and soccer internationals, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin and the Rose of Tralee Festival.

The Band has travelled to many international events and has represented the country on a number of occasions at police festivals and concerts in Switzerland, Germany and Northern Ireland.

Tickets  for the Portlaoise show can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-garda-siochana-portlaoise-centenary-gala-concert-tickets-427228992417?aff=eand&fbclid=IwAR0bWZkMTespNjSCaPDzxWpALsvzIUioQ1h-BbkMDc68fwKHSRg6nuglr5o