Limerick blasts Savannah as Irish bagpipers lead St. Patrick’s parade

After hours of preparation and anticipation — setup for the late morning parade begins before dawn — attendees know that finally the procession is about to march by.

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Pipe bands provide the soundtrack for what Savannahians refer to simply as “the parade.” High school marching bands and rock-and-roll groups on floats have their turn too, but the dozen or so groups of pipers and the drummers are the feature acts in this annual spectacle. Savannah’s Irish heritage celebration rivals parades held in America’s larger Irish enclaves, and many a pipe band prefers this coastal Georgia city to New York City, Boston and Chicago.

Just ask O’Brien and the 25 other Irishmen of the City of Limerick Pipe Band. They made their debut appearance here in 2024 for the 200th anniversary parade. Drawn across the Atlantic and south of big cities by the promise of warm weather, they found a place more Irish than they could have imagined.

“There’s so much pride in the people here of their Irishness,” O’Brien said. “They talk about the three Fs: faith, family and friendship, and they put it into practice. The welcome we’ve gotten … we love it here.”

This year’s parade in Savannah is on Monday.

A ‘happy accident’

Savannah’s Irish roots stretch back nearly three centuries. The Georgia colony’s early English settlers recruited Irish laborers to help establish the city and work the port, a popular trans-Atlantic trading center. A wave of Irish immigrants would follow in the early 1800s and again during the potato famine that began in 1845.

The son of a much more recent Irish arrival is the City of Limerick Pipe Band’s connection to Savannah. Peter J. Hogan came to America from Limerick, a city of 100,000 located along the River Shannon in western Ireland, and married a woman, Bernadette, whose father also hailed from Limerick.

Their son, Marty Hogan, is an executive officer of the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, the group that organizes Savannah’s celebration. Over many visits to his ancestral home, Hogan got to know many influential Limerick residents.

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

When the City of Limerick Pipe Band’s leaders let it be known they wanted to experience St. Patrick’s Day in the United States, one of Hogan’s acquaintances provided his email address. The pipers and drummers had been leaning toward the Atlanta parade, which is nearly as old as Savannah’s, but one conversation with Hogan changed their plans in what band Chairman Brian Tuite calls a “happy accident.”

Hogan eagerly agreed to host them and met with them during a Christmas 2023 trip to Limerick.

“They were playing on street corners and in the pubs to raise money for the trip,” Hogan said. “How’s that for commitment?”

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Nowhere like Savannah

The City of Limerick Pipe Band dates to 1949 and has seen several iterations, today’s leaders say.

The current group is 40 men and women strong — 26 made the trip to Savannah — who range in age from 8 to “really old.” They draw talent from students and alumni of a local K-12 school, the Christian Brothers School. CBS, as Limerick residents call it, operates one of the few school pipe bands in Ireland.

Pipe Major Philip Doran recruits beyond CBS and band members teach piping and drumming skills free of charge, growing the band’s ranks in recent years.

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

So, too, has increased exposure. In their tartan kilts, blue hose and black Glengarry hats, the City of Limerick Pipe Band plays at municipal events, such as Limerick’s mayoral inauguration. They frequently lead professional sporting teams onto the pitch before matches, particularly Limerick GAA hurling. The sport, considered Ireland’s national pastime, is a cross between lacrosse and field hockey.

The Limerick pipers also have a competition team. Last year, they performed at Festival Interceltique de Lorient, a Celtic celebration held in France.

As popular as the band has become, St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration they train for all year. Savannah’s festival is traditionally spread out over eight to 10 days, with a series of ceremonies and church services honoring Irish contributions to Savannah and multiple parades, including one at a local preschool and another at Tybee Island, in addition to the main event in Savannah.

The City of Limerick Pipe Band arrives in town early to participate in all the festivities.

“Every city and town in Ireland has a St. Patrick’s Day parade, but nowhere do they do it quite like they do in Savannah,” said Christy Bromell, the band’s musical director. “There’s a lot of curiosity about it back home. We’re already planning for next year.”