St. Patrick's Day Parade - Overview
Peter Boriin
1996 Lord Mayor of Dublin's St. Patrick's Day Parade
Unofficial Trip Highlights
Disclaimer: While most of us had a similar itinerary, we are a unique
group
unlike most marching bands. Our age range was from 23 to 79
and
we come from ALL backgrounds. We assembled an all brass and
percussion band of 120 participants from 15 states and
Germany.
We flew from seven different airports, where most groups flew
from one or two. Our deadline for registration was September
of
1995, however, our Tour Coordinator accepted and took care of
folks signing up as late as the end of January. Our total
group
size was 183, with some folks taking extended trips across
Europe.
This is the view from one band member who attempted to find
as
much Irish culture as possible. Sleep was secondary and
never
more than four hours per night. That was not everyone's
choice,
if you desired more sleep, you got it.
(Also, to get a true survey of this group's view of the trip,
you
would need to contact a representative sample. Most of the
folks
do not take the time to communicate their experiences here
for
you to read...)
We arrived in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday the 15th of March, 1996. After
checkin and dropping the bags we headed to the pub for a pint of Guinness
and
a bowl of Irish stew. Marvelous fresh vegetables, and Guinness that is
pumped,
not carbonated. The remainder of the afternoon was spent walking the
streets
of Dublin and visiting the Natural History Museum. After a delicious
dinner at
the hotel we spread out to the Temple Bar area near the Halfpenny bridge
to
find live entertainment. Some of our group found it at Cliftons. Some of us
congregated at The Bachelor Pub on the Liffey to await the celebration to
start
St. Paddy's weekend - the starting of the Millenium Clock. (Dublin's
clock to
count down the seconds to the year 2000 which is digital and submerged in
the
River Liffey at the O'Connell Street Bridge). There were live bands and a
couple hundred thousand people. We met some Irish women in the pub who
were
glad to talk to us "Yanks" and when the fireworks started they were
convinced
that John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" was a famous Irish
march
written in 1994 for the World Cup Soccer Championships. They had words
too.
"We're gonna win the World Cup, We're from Ireland...." We also became
aware
of the famous Smithwicks (Smidigs) beer. So, after being awake for over a
day,
we sauntered home after about 1 am.
After a full Irish breakfast with four types of eggs, five types of cereal,
blood pudding, white pudding, bacon, sausage, toasts, fruits, juices, and
more,
we held a brief one hour rehearsal on Saturday morning, March 16th. Then
we
had a 3.5 hour city tour. Trinity College and the Book of Kells, St.
Patrick's
Cathedral and Grafton street, the Georgian architecture, local folklore, tales
of Jonathan Swift, Stella, and Vanessa, poems, songs and good cheer
brought us
to midday. We had some of the wonderful soups and more fresh vegetables
as
part of our lunch, which was on our own. Some of our group made it to Dublin
Castle, others saw a Dutch Regimental band in full regalia in St.
Stephen's
Green. Others shopped on Grafton Street and Nassau Street near the statue
of
Molly Malone and her wheel barrow. Our optional trip to The Abbey Tavern in
Howth was next on the agenda. Authentic Irish singing and dancing from a
genuine seven piece ensemble made for a memorable evening. The poached salmon
was better than any from Alaska or the Pacific northwest (partially due to
the
unpolluted waters of Ireland...). We returned to Dublin at 10 pm. Most
of
the pubs close at 11. Since some of us were out to soak up as much Irish
culture as we could, we sought out the "Late Pubs" which open at 11 and
stay
open until 4. We also were out to find Bono's (of U2) club "The Kitchen"
in
the Clarence Hotel. One of our band member's from California helped the other
eight of us (average age of this group: 39) stick to our quest to find
it.
Well, after finding it, fast talking the doorman, and paying the 8 pound
cover,
we enjoyed ourselves in the ultra modern dance club that is hard to get into.
Some of us stayed late and enjoyed the dance floor and the separate
private
room that we gained access to also. We got to know Nicholas Flood, a
bouncer
inside, and John O'Donovan, the doorman and were given passes to the party
the following night. The club does not have a square corner in it, it has a
state of the art JBL sound system, stainless steel boat deck rigging,
French
Luminaire lighting, computer controlled special effects, and your normal Irish
pub expansive bar selections. (Write for more info). Lots of the latest
fashion and friendly Irish folks. We explained to the patrons that we
were
here for the parade and they embraced us with good cheer and excitement. That
was pretty much the case all over Ireland, but it was nice to find it also
in
a dance club at 2 am.
On Sunday, March 17th, 1996 some of our group attended mass at 8am, while
others prepared for the parade. We assembled at St. Stephen's Green as the
first international band in the parade - unit #7 - (the first band in the
parade was the Dublin Garde Band (Police band). We were behind the
Bailey's
Irish Cream float and in front of the Irish tourist board float. We
exchanged
songs (Ramp: Buckeye Battle Cry, Rock Around The Clock) with the children's
Irish Pipe Bands and dancers in this area known as the pre-parade staging
area.
There were several thousand people here watching us, and the parade was an
hour away. By comparison, our largest single audience was the 1993
Midosuji
Parade in Osaka, Japan - 1.6 million people. Next, 600,000 people at the
National Football Hall of Fame Parade in Canton, Ohio. Third, this Dublin
parade, estimated at 400-500,000 (is that correct?) and, our annual
audience of
150,000 in the Upper Arlington Independence Parade near Columbus, Ohio. And
finally, our annual football performance of complete pregame and halftime
shows
in front of 95,000 OSU Buckeye fans. (of course, millions more on TV). But
this parade was different than all of the big crowds. Normally, our staunch
style of precision and tradition of excellence dictates a scripted parade
routine. In Ireland, the parade is often interrupted and delayed which
allows
the bands to truly become international ambassadors to the people. A few
days
later we learned that Ireland has no instrumental music curriculum in
their
school systems. They have strong community bands and other forms of music
such as pipes, drums, strings, etc. This a nation of singers and poets,
but
they are not as used to a marching band with brass instruments like some
of
us are. Our uniform consisted of the traditional OSUMB Scarlet beret (as
worn by the OSUMB in the stands), Scarlet TBDBITL windbreaker, white
gloves,
medium gray slacks, black shoes, socks and belt. (optional clear rain ponchos
were issued but never used.) This served us as a functional uniform
(layers of
sweaters could be added for warmth) and held up to the varying weather
conditions. The quote in the paper the next day read: "The Ohio State band
stepped off smartly in their red uniforms." Our musical selections while
marching included "Beautiful Ohio March," "St. Louis Blues March,"
"MacNamara's
Band," "Hang On Sloopy," and "OSUMBLUS." Our three All-American Drum Majors,
Bev Moseley from 1946, Joe Myers from 1942, and Shelley Graf from 1981
(the
only female drum major in the history of OSU and in the history of the Big
Ten) thrilled the crowd up and down the cobblestone streets. The average age
in Dublin is 18 years old, and it is 97 percent Catholic. The crowds were
a
sea of children up to adults, depending upon height. They loved it when
you
would wave at them, and when we were at a break (frequently), we would
play the
OSU school song "Fight The Team Across The Field" and then break ranks and
talk to them. The kids loved seeing the instruments. The weather was
overcast but only drizzled once for about a minute or two. This was
well-timed as it occurred while we were half way through and we were marching
uphill playing "Hang On Sloopy" coming around the corner to Christ's Church.
We appreciated being one of the first bands in the parade, and since our
hotel
was at the end of the parade route, we joined our guests and watched the rest
of the parade. Colorado, Nebraska, East Tennessee State, Illinois State,
Houston, Riverside Community College, and the other bands looked great and
seemed to really enjoy the day. We also liked the reception from the many
(over 10) reviewing stands as we passed by and they announced us to the
crowd.
"The Ohio State Marching Band ... made up of members from the current
student
band and members who went to University as far back as
nineteen-hundred-thirty-four." Quite a thrill. Further descriptions of
this
tremendous day cannot be recorded here. Photographs, videos, and more
importantly, the presentation in person from a participant are much
better.
It is somewhat obtainable for most people to experience a foreign country, its
people, and the lifestyles and culture. There is an extraordinary
emotional,
sensual and adrenaline filled perception when you are placed in the center
of
an ancient city, surrounded by its citizens, and applauded for your
performance. To slowly traverse the streets without buses and cars, with
the
cathedrals and college buildings with Georgian architecture rising above
the
Liffey, to touch the children's waving hands and brush the Garde's
shoulders
as they secure the route, to know that the people you met the previous day
in
the pubs are smiling at you and then to hear visiting Americans exclaim
"GO BUCKEYES" is very memorable indeed, and something that we all cherish.
We spent the rest of the parade watching on the street in front of the
hotel
or gazing down from the hotel rooms that faced the street with our video
cameras rolling. After the parade, we assembled in the Royal Dublin Hotel
ballroom for a reception with the contingent of visiting OSU alumni from
the
OSUAA tour to Ireland, and local OSU Alumni from the British Isles. We
performed a brief 45 minute concert that included some of the parade
songs,
"The Wearin' Of The Green," "I Wanna Go Back To Ohio State," and the OSU
alma mater "Carmen Ohio," under the direction of Dr. David Meeker. Our band
parade Chairman, Bob Grossman, then surprised the group with the distribution
of commemorative patches. The rest of the day was spent on our own. Some
of us ventured back to St. Patrick's Cathedral, others went sight seeing. A
few of us went back to "The Kitchen" and danced until 2. To close the St.
Patrick's festivities Dublin had many activities going on, including the
Spanish Comediants troupe performing on the rooftops. This group was the main
entertainment at the Closing Ceremonies for the Barcelona Olympics and put
on quite a show in the Trinity College area. By the way, Trinity College has
10,000 students and as of last year, tuition is free for Irish college
students.
One more note: March 17th is Mother's Day in the British Isles.
Monday, March 18th, 1996, was our day to leave Dublin. After an Irish
breakfast, we loaded the busses and headed west through the countryside. Our
bus driver was wearing a Marching Illini hat to keep the sun out of his
eyes.
We asked him about his experiences with the Illini and he was fond of them and
hopes they return someday. After a quick stop and presentations to the
bus
drivers of OSU tapes, hats, key tags and the affixing of OSUMB
bumperstickers
on the back of all the busses, we were on our way to Galway. We ate lunch
here and compared notes with our compadres from Colorado and Nebraska before
ascending to the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast. As we were arriving, a
rescue helicopter was flying in. We later found out that a 16 year old
boy
had jumped off. These cliffs rise 900 feet out of the Atlantic. Our next
stop
was the Shannon Shamrock hotel adjacent to Bunratty Castle and Durty Nellie's
Pub. The Guinness is good here too. Our optional excursion this evening was
to Knappogue Castle and a Medieval Banquet. Since we had 144 people sign
up,
we pretty much took over the place. Very good food and entertainment. Lord
MacNamara presided over the Castle and proclaimed us to be "MacNamara's Band."
The program this evening was entitled, "The Lady's of Ireland." A beautiful
harpist straight out of the fourteenth century anointed the show. Then, as a
special treat for those who struck up conversation in the lobby bar after
midnight, we had a young lady from the Bunratty players sing "Danny Boy"
and a
song about her mother's eyes to us at 2:30 am. The Irish people are very
warm and they will talk to you and you really get to know them and learn as
much as you'd like to know about their culture.
Tuesday, March 19th, 1996 is our last day in Ireland and we are on the bus at
8:30 after another big breakfast and ready to go to Blarney. We shop at the
famous Blarney Woolen Mills and ascend to the top of the ancient Blarney
Castle to lie on our backs, six stories up, and smooch the Blarney Stone.
Again, we wave hello Amigo to our Nebraska and Colorado friends and then its
off to Adare and Limerick. Once our ten hour day of touring is done it is
time to present a TBDBITL sticker and a St. Patrick's Day OSU Parade patch to
Durty Nellies. It is a neat feeling (like Norm on Cheers must have felt)
to
walk into a pub half way around the world and have the bartender address you
by name. Brian was glad to affix our patch amongst the other patches (mostly
from police) from around the world behind the bar. We scurried back to
the
hotel in time for the dinner/banquet that evening with Irish music.
Afterwards, a few of us returned to Durty Nellies and met a gentlemen in
his
thirties (pronounced TirrTies) who wanted to tell us about the story of
Durty Nellies and about John Fitzgerald Kennedy's visit to Ireland in the
1960s. Before he could begin, Brian beckoned us over to the bar. It
seems
that for the past two hours, the three older guys and Brian had been tossing
around ideas for what TBDBITL on our bumpersticker stood for. (For those
of
you who are not OSU Band fans, our nickname since the 1940s has been
TBDBITL -
The Best Damn Band In The Land) It seems that some of the patches were
covering up the top of the sticker that stated this. Brian asked, "Is it
'The Damned Best G** Damned Band' or 'The Best G** Damned Band In The Damned
Land' or 'The Damn Band In The Best Land' or what?" We quickly explained
and gave them some Kennedy Half dollars for their trouble. A good laugh
rattled through the old pub, and Fitzgerald told us about JFK and Durty
Nellies until we closed the place after midnight.
The rest of the trip (Wednesday and Thursday) was spent in London. We
were
free to explore this expansive city on our own. Many of us saw The Tower of
London, the changing of the Horse Guard on Whitehall Street, Big Ben, The
House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Hard Rock
Cafe, Harrods, The Original London Walks "Jack The Ripper" Tour, West End
shows including "Starlight Express," "The Phantom of The Opera," "Oliver,"
"Miss Saigon," and "Les Miserables." The underground (Mind The Gap) was a
very easy and fast transportation route. Some folks ventured outside of
London to Greenwich, Stratford-Upon-Avon and more. The London Forum was
very convenient.
Overall, with 183 people the feeling of the group seems pretty positive. Some
folks who signed up late or had special accommodation needs were in a
different hotel in Dublin for a few nights, and were a block or two away.
A couple of folks had interesting airline experiences. But most of us
realized
that the airlines can make you adhere to their schedules and rules (or
lack
there of), the hotels in the entire city were filled to the limit so we were
fortunate to be downtown, and the overall cost of the trip was very very
reasonable compared to commercial Travel Agents. One of our bus drivers had
the bus singing the gaelic song "Aon Focal Eile" by the Travelin Men.
Most
of us were entranced by the Irish countryside, the smiling faces, the
charm
of Dublin, and the great great green Emerald Isle. It is often spoken
that
you cannot merely visit Dublin, you must feel it. We felt something special.
The rainbows did appear, the leprechauns were spriteful and gleeful and there
are some American musicians and guests who were blessed by St. Patrick.
(Respectfully submitted, replies requested, by Pete Boriin
pbo...@freenet.columbus.oh.us OSU Alumni Band, 3/26/96)
TBDBITL Alumni Club - The Ohio State University Marching Band
Jeff Randall
It's good to hear that you personally had such a good time in Ireland,
I have been twice (in 1992 and 1995) with the Marching Illini and plan
on going again when the MI goes back in 1998.
pbo...@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Peter Boriin) writes:
>Our three All-American Drum Majors,
>Bev Moseley from 1946, Joe Myers from 1942, and Shelley Graf from 1981
>(the only female drum major in the history of OSU and in the history
>of the Big Ten) thrilled the crowd up and down the cobblestone streets.
The four female Drum Majors for the Marching Illini in 1995 would be
suprised to hear that Shelley Graf is the only female drum major
"in the history of the Big Ten".
Jeff "Euclid" Randall - MI 'bone 1990-1994, BBB 1990-1996
--
ran...@truth.uph.com | George Orwell was an optimist:
I speak for myself... | "The Constitution is a radical document...it is the
until they destroy the | job of the Government to rein in people's rights."
1st Amendment as well. | -President Bill Clinton