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It is always very difficult to discover the exact moment of the birth of an idea. In the case of the Black Raven Pipe Band it is probably true to say that the beginning of the band coincided with the resurgence of pride in all things National. The revival of interest in the Irish Language early in 1900’s led to a renewal of interest in the National game of Hurling. One of the earliest and most enthusiastic of the clubs in Fingal was the Naomh Mac Cullen Hurling Club.
They travelled about playing matches in the Dublin Junior Hurling League and on one of their visits to Dublin they saw the Beady Pipers from Armagh marching through the city. The colourful uniform and the enthusiastic reception given to the band by the people of Dublin made a deep impression on the Lusk lads. About this time the late Thomas Ashe then schoolmaster of Cardiff school and also a member of the hurling club had obtained a set of bagpipes from Paddy White the marathon runner. Paddy had won the pipes as a trophy for his marathon running. Thomas Ashe taught himself how to play the bagpipes and sometime early in 1910 he and John Rooney on Raheney House decided to start a pipers club. At that stage they had little hope of being able to gather the funds and support they knew were needed to form a band and so described themselves as a club.Jimmy Sheridan of Corduff and Dick McArdle of Lusk soon joined the two men. They organised a collection and due to the help of the hurling club and the dramatic class they were soon able to purchase two more sets of bagpipes and the band came into existence.
The Library Hall was used for practice and one evening during practice a certain Jack McNally happened to be passing complete with tin whistle and following an old Lusk tradition he looked in the Library window to see what was going on. The band were playing “The wind that shakes the barley”. The pipes finished the tune but a tin whistle echo remained until Thomas Ashe ordered the tin whistle man to be caught. He was finally captured on the ‘Green” He did not succeed in escaping from the band until the time of his death in 1965.
During the winter of 1910 and the spring of 1911 Dick McArdle and Jack McNally travelled to Dublin for tuition under the careful eye of Professor Liam McAndrew. Dick and Jack then returned to Lusk to teach the remainder of the pipers. Davy Langan of the St Maurs Fife and Drum band taught the drummers. During this period, local ladies notably Miss Margaret Clark, Miss Theresa Carton, Mrs Lambe and Miss Kate McArdle were busy designing and making uniforms for the band. A Mr. F J Bigger, the noted antiquarian of Belfast, procured the material. It was he who gave the band it’s name and gave the members every help and encouragement. He also presented the first Black Raven flag, which was made in Belfast. The origin of this flag goes back to the Battle of Clontarf when Brien Boru captured the Black Raven Flag from the Danes.
In early summer of 1911 the band paraded for the first time in uniform. Two designs were adopted for the band; the first one was a black tunic, green kilt and white plaid shawl. The second uniform was white tunic, saffron kilt and black plaid shawl. The original members of the band were almost all members of the Lusk Hurling Club. The enthusiasm for all things National at this time ensured the band had the full support of the people in the locality. The band that paraded on that occasion were as follows: Matt Kelly (Flag) Jack McNally, Jimmy Sheridan, Matt McCann, Mickey Meehan, Dick McArdle, Dick Aungier, John Clarke, Thomas Ashe (all pipers) and John Rooney on the bass drum. The side drummers were Joe Clarke and Paddy Doyle. Pipe Major on that first day was Dick McArdle.
During 1911 and 1912 the band went from strength to strength. The original members were joined by further enthusiasts, notably Johnny Devine, Tom Rafferty, Tom McArdle, Frank Morgan, Pat Kelly, Charlie Weston and Willie Mehan (all pipers). Pat Caddell played the bass drum and the side drummers were Pat Halpin, Frank Murphy, Dan Brophy, Tom Doyle and Jack Rafferty.
In 1913 the band competed for the first time in Galway against such bands as The City of Dublin Pipe Band, St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, Fintan Lalor Pipe Band and DeLacey Family band from Ferns in Co. Wexford. This was their first competition and they won the Championship of Ireland. The following year 1914 they travelled to Killarney and were accorded a special welcome by McGillicudy who expressed himself as being proud to be host to Thomas Ashe’s band. Lispole near Tralee was the birthplace of Thomas Ashe and the Kerrymen could not do enough for the Black Raven band. They won first place in the competition and their numerical strength at the time was such that while in Killarney they were able to parade a full band and still allow some of the bandsmen to take advantage of the sightseeing tours. A story is told that one of these parties while returning to the town on a sidecar met a pipe band marching and playing towards them. While some distance away they remarked among themselves what a fine band it was and when just abreast of it discovered it was their own. They had not seen the band from the outside before this day.
The year 1915 found the Band competing in Cork where they obtained 3rd Place. About this time some of the lads patronised a fortuneteller for fun and she told them they would make a journey across water. A good number of them duly did so when after the Rising in 1916 they were interned in England. On Easter Sunday they played at a function held by the Irish National Foresters at Lusk. The history of Ashbourne becomes the history of the Black Raven Band for this period because may of the lads fought in that engagement and the aftermath resulted in the Band being practically suspended till the General Amnesty of June 1917. Almost at once the band reformed and on Tom Ashe’s tragic death in September they had the sad privilege of leading his funeral cortege. The memory of Tom Ashe will live and his name can never be forgotten as long as the Black Raven Flag flies in Lusk. Another visit to Killarney in 1918 gave the Kerrymen an opportunity to show their loyalty to the memory of Tom Ashe by the great welcome they extended to his Band, they won the all Ireland Championship and famous Carl Hardebeck commented very favourably on their performance.
During a competition in Cork the following Year 1919, a tragi-comical episode occurred which showed that the Lusk lads had an eye for beauty as well as an ear. It happened that while marching and playing one of the side drummers caught sight of a lovely young lady in the audience. This no doubt helped to improve his playing but unfortunately it prevented him from turning when the rest of the Band turned to counter march. He, wrapped up in the contemplation of feminine beauty, just marched straight on and the band was disqualified. It is not recorded how or in what condition he returned to Lusk.
The Black and Tans brought more than the their share of trouble and finally in November 1917 on the night John (Rover) McCann and Joe Sherlock were shot they raided the band room which was then in the Foresters’ Hall (the old Billiard Club). They took those instruments, which had not already been hidden, and also the Black Raven Flag.
Some time before the loss of the instruments, Frank Devine joined the band and soon was to become Pipe Major. Two other people joined at the same time, namely Joe Connolly (Bass Drum) and Frank Clark (Piper).