Preserving the Bandroom in the Heart of Galway by Peter Rabbitt
The Following Article appeared in St. Patrick's Parish Magazine, Galway published in December '2001
This article makes a case to preserve the Bandroom of St Patrick's Band and its site as an important musical and cultural centre in the heart of Galway. It places on record some of the work of people such as the late and lamented Chairperson of the band, Patrica Folan.
The collective work of many people, past and present, who have been involved with the band since it was founded in 1896, has resulted in the establishment of a town band and the provision of unique musical facilities in the centre of Galway. Their work must not be swept away in the cause of 'so-called ' progress. A modern city must have a cultural heart with deep roots in the community.
Parts of the parish of St. Patrick's have been utterly transformed by developments and places such as Forster Street are unrecognisable today to older Galwegians. The landscape of the Fairgreen/Station area has changed due to large development projects, some of which are still in progress. Throughout these developments ‘the band plays on’.
St. Patrick's Band continues to play in its home at Frenchville Lane as it has continued to do for over one hundred years. There have been difficulties, not least enduring pressure from Galway Corporation to move from its site. But the Bandroom continues to be a cultural and musical oasis amid all the developments.
Mike Spelman, Peter Rabbitt and Paddy Walsh, founders of the band (originally known as the Forster Street Fife and Drum Band in 1896) established it as the town band and they had the foresight to purchase premises and the present site on behalf of St. Patrick's Band. The band site was twice the size as it is today. Band property was acquired by the Corporation in the nineteen fifties for the benefit of Galway. Today some would have the band and its premises removed to facilitate further developments. This must not be allowed to happen.
The roll call of those who have contributed to the band is too long to list. Those who made a contribution, and who are now deceased (many from the parish), include Michael Mitchell, Mrs. S. Mitchell, Petey Browne, Mike Browne, Bill Glennon, Paddy Kavanagh, Paddy Griffin, Paddy Larkin, William Greene, Bill Jones, Sally Conneely, Paddy Henegan, John Francis King, Mickey Spelman, Paddy Spelman, Rev. George Quinn, Colie Smyth, G O'Hara, and John Joyce. Others who have recently died and contributed include Paddy Francis, Martin King, Paddy Naughton, Miley McGrath, Niamh Tompkins and the late Patrica Folan.
Patrica Folan became the first female chairperson of St. Patrick's Band in 1987. She and her committee had the daunting task of replacing the old band premises with the present Bandroom. It was officially opened in March 1989.
The Bandroom, as the band premises has affectionately been called; it has undergone many changes since it was established on its present site at the end of the nineteenth century. It was expanded in 1906 and again in 1913. A hanger was added in the nineteen twenties and it was 'the City Dance Hall’ to many Galwegians. Part of the building was replaced in the nineteen sixties. But by the nineteen seventies and eighties it was clear that a new building was required. Buckets and basins were regularly used to catch raindrops falling through the ceiling and the new band anthem appeared to be 'Raindrops Keep Falling On MY Head'. Players and committee members had to 'grasp the nettle' and build modern premises on its own site.
Band committees of the nineteen seventies and eighties were confronted with the need, not only to re-build and fund-raise, but also had to fight to remain on its own site. Galway Corporation refused the band Outline planning permission citing future transportation policies for the area. This refusal was appealed to An Bord Pleanala by the band, which, eventually, overturned the Corporation's decision. There were then protracted negotiations with Corporation planners before full planning permission was granted for the present attractive and distinctive Bandroom.
Fund-raising continued through the nineteen eighties and when planning permission was granted politicians and councillors were lobbied for financial backing. The result was a grant from Galway Corporation, which enabled the band to start the project. Fas/Anco came on board and with an excellent building committee under the chairmanship of Patrica Folan the old Bandroom was knocked in 1987 and was replaced with a new one. The dreams of members became a reality.
The death of Patrica Folan this year (2001) shocked the band and the wider community but her trojan work and wide ranging contribution to the band will never be forgotten. The Bandroom is a testament to what can be achieved. Today the Bandroom stands as a visible monument to the members, past and present, who have established a band and provided unique musical facilities in the centre of a city. It must be preserved in memory of those people. Members defy any person who can point to such a development in any other city in Ireland, a facility that is made available to other cultural groups.
It is a home to many of Galway’s finest musical groups namely the Galway Baroque Singers, the Galway Concert Orchestra, the Galway Choral Association (incorporating four choirs including the Galway Boys Singers), the West Winds Quintet, the Black Magic Jazz Band and of course St. Patrick’s Brass Band. Music For Galway has held concerts there and there have been other cultural events e.g. the Pan Celtic Festival. Recently there has been set dancing and as stated earlier the Bandroom was once a dance centre for Galwegians. Today the Galway City Partnership has an Access Music Programme there where long-term un-employed people are taught music and other related skills.
Galway City was rejected as the next Irish European City of Culture and it is understood that one of the reasons for the rejection was the lack of cultural infrastructure. Cultural centres, such as the Bandroom, must not be removed. Instead they must be supported and the work of people like Patrica Folan and the present members must not be cast aside in the name of progress.
As stated earlier the band lost a sizeable portion of its property to facilitate developments in Galway. Is it not about time that this trend was reversed? The property behind the Bandroom, from the Bandroom to Lough Atalia (the old Spinney Rileys field), should be developed for cultural purposes. One can imagine a centre that would house a Galway School of Music and a large Concert Hall. It would be located in the centre of Galway and such a centre would equate with the Waterfront in Belfast, The Cork Opera House and the Limerick Concert Hall. It could be called 'C Na G' ( 'Ionad Ceoil agus Cultur Na Gaillimhe' ).We are now in the twenty first century and there is an urgent requirement for a state funded School of Music. The people of Galway and the West, together with politicians and decision-makers, must ‘grasp this nettle’. Dreams can become a reality.
The band with its Bandroom has shown the way. It is up to the people of Galway to support music and musical facilities in the Heart of Galway. At the very least the Bandroom must be preserved.
- Peter Rabbitt, Dec '2001