Irelands oldest amatuer musical institution Cork Barrack Street Band est 1837 to Lead St Patricks Day Parade In Savannah GA 2011.

Cork Barrack St Band have accepted an inivitation to participate in the 2011 St Patricks Day in Savannah GA and have been given the honour of leading this prestigous parade as the Grand Marshalls Band.
The parade which was first held in 1813 is attended annually by over half a million people.

On a recent visit to Savannah to organise the Bands itinery for their visit next March Band officers Billy O Callaghan and Sean Falvey where informed of this pretigous honour.

The Band will also perform at a number of other ceremonies and events associated with the St Patrick Day celebrations along with a Concert in St Vincents School and
a live appearance on WTOC tv both of which take place on Monday March 14th.

Savannah is known for hosting the second largest parade in the world. However, all that have seen it say it is the grandest in the world! The religious and cultural celebration begins approximately two weeks prior to the parade. Some of the traditional events the Band will perform at include the Celtic Cross Mass and Ceremony on Sunday 13th of March and The Sergeant William Jasper Green Ceremony on Wenesday March 16th.

On Saint Patricks morning  they will perform at a Mass held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in historic downtown which is broadcast live on television throughout the State of Georgia and is also available worldwide on  livestream at
www.wtoctv.com

St Patricks Day Mass will be Concelebrated  by  Bishop Boland who is originally from Cork and is currently Bishop of Savannah GA. Bishop Boland  is a brother of Corkman Frank Boland.

Following Mass the Band will proceed to the front of the Parade which begins on Abercorn St and will then lead the Parade.

Savannah’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held in 1813, only 80 years after the city was founded by General James Oglethorpe. A small group of Hibernians organized and marched on the streets of Sa
vannah
to remember the death of Irelands Patron Saint Patrick .Over the years the city prospered with Irish immigrants due to the potato famine and political persecution.

Stepping off at 10:15 a.m. sharp, the three-hour parade also consists of over 350 units, including 54 Bands and several U.S. military divisions, many award-winning bands, and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Some of the bands taking part include the 282nd U.S. Army Band (Fort Jackson, S.C.), The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps (Fort Myers, VA), U.S. Coast Guard Pipes and Drums (Norfolk, VA), Irish Air Corps Pipes and Drums (Dublin, Ireland), and many more outstanding marching units.

Barrack Steet Band will depart for Savannah on March 11 th and return home on March 20th 2011.

 The newly formed Royal Irish Academy of Music will give it's inaugural performance at the National Concert Hall on Saturday 12th February 2011 when they close the IAYO festival.

The performance will include a performance of "Scenes from the Louvre" by Norman dello Joio and conducted by WASBE president Leon Bly.

Visiting specialist wind band conductor Lorenzo de la Fonte will conduct the final movement of the percussion concerto "UFO" by Michael Doherty and the soloist will be Maeve O'Hara.