St Patrick's Band (originally Forster Street Fife and Drum Band) founded in Galway

The band was founded in 1896 as a fife and drum band. Three young men, Michael Spelman, Peter Rabbitt and Paddy Walsh founded the band and it quickly became established in Galway as the Forster Street Fife and Drum Band.

Newspaper report: Saturday morning, October 10, 1896: The Galway Express:

"Forster-Street Band. It would seem that Galway is no longer to be thrown in the shade for want of a town band, for it was indeed behind the times in this respect, while the small towns of Oughterard, Clifden and Headford,could boast of such an acquisition. The young men of Forster-street have taken the matter up in a spirited manner, and already they have purchased several instruments, but in order to make the band a success, a sufficiency of funds must be available, and we understand in order to attain that object the committee have resolved to appeal to the generosity of the citizens. It is well known what Shakespeare says of "the man that hath not music in his soul”, and from our knowledge of the people of Galway we are sure that there are not many of the class described by the Bard of Avon, consequently we expect the appeal will be responded to with the liberality for which Galwegians are characteristic "

Gannon’s ‘big’ house on Forster Street served as their first band room and the Band moved onto its present site at Frenchville Lane, off Forster Street around 1900. Paddy Walsh (Stationmaster) became President; Michael Spelman (Driver) Secretary; and Peter Rabbitt (owner Rabbitt’s Bar and Provision shop) Treasurer of the Band and all three were involved for the rest of their lives.