Irish Pipes and Drums BC Regiment
Enjoys longs planned trip to N. Ireland
 THE CANADIAN FLAG was carried proudly as the Irish Pipes and Drums BC Regiment led the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Belfast. The 26-member band travelled to N. Ireland in March. |
VANCOUVER – The Irish Pipes and Drums BC Regiment participated in a long planned trip to Northern Ireland in March under the direction of Pipe Major Jordan Seguin.
They were invited by the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (2 R Irish is their designation in N. Ireland).
The 2 R Irish developed accommodation and feeding along with transport for the band by billeting them at Palace Barracks in Holywood a short distance outside Belfast.
As an active army base it coincided with the yearly one week camp for the 2 R Irish Pipes and Drums, thus putting both bands together in the same barrack block.
This made the trip financially viable for the BC Regiment by taking care of most of their accommodation and transport costs which where looked after by the British Army.
On March 10 at Vancouver International Airport, the 26-member band was sent off with good wishes by Honourary Colonel Bill Ireland.
In Belfast they were met by Pipe Major James Knox and members of the Royal Irish who transported them by bus to the Palace Barracks.
The band’s itinerary was mostly developed with the help of 2 R Irish and particularly Pipe Major Knox which would see them attending St. Patrick’s functions for the 2 R Irish at their various bases in Northern Ireland.
As requested, Pipe Major Jordan Seguin to split the Irish Pipes and Drums into two groups with half sent to the 2nd Battalion Headquarters at Portadown and the other half to their base at Enniskillen.
A day of touring for both pipe bands together included Bushmill’s Distillery and the Giants Causeway as well as Dunluce Castle.
In Armagh, they performed in concert at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh in support of the Royal Irish Fusiliers Regimental Chapel.
On March 17, the Irish Pipes and Drums BC Regiment led the St. Patrick’s Day parade for the City of Belfast.
The parade went exactly as planned, leaving Belfast City Hall at noon and proceeding 10 blocks to Custom House Square where an outdoor concert was scheduled.
The BC Regiment pipe band alone led the parade as the British Army cannot parade on the streets of Belfast in to reference the Good Friday Peace Accord ending the Troubles in N. Ireland.
The band displayed the Canadian flag out front along with the Canadian flag pipe banner on the Pipe Majors’ base drone. All members had Canadian flags sewn on their left arm and pipe bag covers.
The weather was perfect and an enthusiastic crowd gathered to watch Belfast’s first big St. Patrick’s Day parade.
After the parade, the band was taken to the Waterfront Centre for a lunch and beverages hosted by the City of Belfast.
Next, the band travelled to Dublin where the Guinness Brewery and the Temple Bar area were highlights.
The trip concluded in Belfast following a concert at the Spires Music Hall on March 19.
It was a great experience for all members of the Irish Pipes and Drums BC Regiment with wonderful hospitality extended by the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment TA, as well as the British Army.
Upon their return to Vancouver they were welcomed home by Lt. Colonel Bruce Kadonoff, Commanding Officer of the Regiment.
| 
