February 12, 1961: During a General Meeting of the Shamrock Club of Columbus, Jim Foley raised the motion of raising the dues to $2.00….
…Thus started the Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums. Pat Canty had a vision for a grand Irish Pipe Band here in Central Ohio. I am proud to report that Mr. Canty’s vision is alive and well. Like any great organization, the Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums had a slow start. Over the next 4 years, votes would be carried and passed, objected and tabled, and discussions would be had over a Pipe Band. As irony would have it, Mr. Canty never had the chance to see the fruits of his labor but on the 17th of March 1964 the physical presence of The Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums took to the streets with a single piper – Francis Patrick McGuire leading the parade. The following year Mr. McGuire would be joined by piper Dave Hartigan. In 1966, on the 17th of March, The Drums and Pipes of the Shamrock Club of Columbus had arrived. Its members consisting of Patrick McGuire and Dave Hartigan on pipes, Tom Enright on snare, Bill O’Conner on tenor and Chuck Bell playing bass.
In its early days, in accordance with Irish tradition, the Pipe Band was called the Drums and Pipes of the Shamrock Club of Columbus. Many have forgotten history, but in fact the bagpipe was the national instrument of Ireland and the Harp the national instrument of Scotland. Somewhere in the early days of history the two countries had adopted each other’s instruments as their own. Today, we call the Pipe Band the Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums purely based on modern tradition.
The Shamrock Club Pipes & Drums have been fortunate enough to have many great members of the piping community enter and influence her ranks. The likes of Bob Ryan, Dave Gettinby, and John Rechnagle have benefitted the band. Drummers the likes of Ed Cotter, Roger Brown and Tom Enright have certainly helped us keep our beat. We have a deep gratitude to our Scottish cousins in the Capitol City Pipes and Drums with whose support and the encouragement and influence of people like David Daye, Glenn Harriman and the Father of Piping in Central Ohio Robert Bobby Peters.
Today the Pipe Band consists of over 30 musicians from all walks of life. They practice weekly and perform throughout the year at various venues.