Dublin all stars marching band

History
The Band started life in 1988 in Donaghmede. It all began on the 12th of May 1988 with 12 members and grew to an impressive 250 by 1995. With both a junior and senior band, the aim was to recruit members aged from 6 years of age to adult. It has since grown from strength to strength, performing on a local, national and international scale.
In 1989 the band (49 members in all) set off for the Rose of Tralee Festival in late August and were so popular that they returned many times since. The band performed in various St Patrick’s Day Parades, including Bray, Drogheda, & Dublin. Other parades included Galway, Dundalk, Balbriggan, Malahide, Skerries, Swords, Thurles and many appearances at Dublin Airport.
The junior band which caters for the children aged 6 to 11 years has been a great success, winning various trophies and appearing on RTE in Bray’s St Patrick Day Parade.
In 1994 the band was invited by the Springfield Drum and Bugle Corps, to travel to the USA. It performed in the cities of Holyoke, Hartford, Springfield, Newhaven, and Meriden for their St. Patrick’s Day Parades. The band took the top awards in three parades and received citations from Senator Ted Kennedy, the United States Government and the state of Massachusetts for the band's brilliant contribution to music.
In 1995 the Band visited London in March for the Patrick’s Day Parade, which included playing both inside and outside Westminster Cathedral. Again in July the Band visited the London Irish Festival, with all members receiving medals for their magnificent performance. The Band have also performed in the Lord Mayors Parade, Belfast and were the first Southern Band in 25 years to take part. The Senior band were invited to Dublin Airport, to play on the runway and welcome the Concorde and the winning Ryder Cup team for their return to Ireland.
In the late 90's, the band expanded to Swords and Balbriggan, increasing the membership numbers to a record 300. In the summer of 1997 the band appeared at Dublin Airport for the display of aircraft from the US Aircraft Carrier JFK. These few years saw us travelling to London, Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, Tralee and even Edinburgh for the International Festival in which we were the first Irish band to take part in the parade. Other performances took place in Malahide, Balbriggan, Swords, Bray and Dundalk.
In 2000 the band played in the Dublin City Parade for the St. Patrick's Day, and again made the news on the Irish television station RTE, the band also returned to London for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations that same year. During the summer engagements included the Fingal Parks Family Days, the Ladies Mini Marathon and a charity football match in Balbriggan. In August we re-visited Edinburgh for the second time and performed in the cavalcade parade.
In 2001, The band played in the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Roscrea, which took place in May because of Foot and Mouth Disease precautions. We also visited Ozoir la Ferriere in France as part of a culture exchance with the Dublin town, Swords. Later in the same year a group from France visited Swords and took part in many activities in Dublin. For the third time in August we returned to Edinburgh for the International Festival, still being the only Irish Band to play at the festival.
In 2002 the band played in the Drogheda and Carrickmacross St. Patrick’s Day Parades. In the summer, we performed at the National Special Olympics Closing Ceremony and in the Bloom’s Day Celebrations. In August the band made its return to Tralee for The Rose of Tralee Festival after a three year break and got a brilliant welcome back.
In 2003 the band performed in the London St. Patrick's Day parade and then returned to Ireland for the Greystones and Wicklow town parades. In June, the band did another performance in Greystones to welcome the 2003 Croatian Special Olympics team to Ireland for the 2003 Special Olympics Games. In July the band took part in the Buncrana music festival and once again returned to Edinburgh for the famous International Festival.
In 2004 the band took part in the Greystones and Wicklow town parades. After exactly 10 years the band returned to the United States to perform in the 4th of July parade in Smyrna, Delaware. The band while in Washington was greeted by numerous majors and senators and were presented with 6 citations and also were given the key to the county of Dover. there was also a week declared to be dedicated to the band and so from the 1st of July to the 8th of July 2004 the people of Delaware celebrated the 'Dublin All Stars Marching Band Week' The band took part in the July 4th parade and won 3 trophies
2005 saw another return to Edinburgh for the international festival which proved a great success. Towards the end of the year plans for a triumphant return to America in 2006 began to form, however the many natural disasters of that year resulted in prices being too expensive for the band.
Over the past number of years the band has received many awards and have achieved a lot while taking part in parades all around the world.
This year the band took part in the Greystones and Gorey St. patrick's day parades one after the other, while gorey was not a competition, Greystones was. The band managed to get the award for 'The Best Irish Traditional Band'
Achievements
In 2004, while in Washington for the 4th of July parade, the band beat all other competitors to be 'The Best Overall Performance' in the Smyrna parade. The band also received the 'Furthest travelled' award. As well as the two awards from the parade the band where presented with a trophy from the Smyrna Fire and Hose Company to mark all of our achievements during the week we were there.
We must also mention the numerous citations the band received, one of which declared the week 'Dublin All Stars Marching Band Week', and also the proud moment of receiving the key to the county.
The band has had many achievements, going to America and winning the awards as well as the 2006 St. Patrick's Day award are just some of our recent achievements.
The band has also won other awards, such as 'Most colourful Band' in Bray, and Greystones this year was the third time winning an award there. Awards are not the only achievements the band have had. We can proudly say we were the first Irish band in the Edinburgh Cavalcade parade or we have managed to go on an away trip every year. That may not sound like much but it is an achievement.
Music
The band plays a wide variety of songs and every year we aim to introduce some new ones, some of which survive to the next year and become part of our regularly played songs. While others, although they work well are kept aside in our vault of songs for use when in concert formation..
Sections
The band is made up of many sections. When a new member joins he/she has a wide variety of sections to choose from. The band currently has the capacity to take up to 250 members. Upon a new members arrival, the first week is an introduction to the band. They will be given a tour so as they can choose what section is best for them. This tour involves meeting our experienced teachers and viewing the classes that are taking place. The teacher for each section will also take a moment to explain what being on their section would involve. Then at the end of practise the new member is asked which section they would like to join and it is not until week two that the new member starts to learn the instrument in the class.
So what are the sections of the band, lets line them up and see.
The Banner
This is an important section to the band as it is the first part of the band that a parade crowd will see. This section does not need weekly practise and so we usually choose some less experienced members to do this, so it means they still get a chance to participate in the parade.
The Colour Party
This section is made up of the adult members of the band or some parents of members who have got involved in the band to help out on parades. The colour party is our flag section and we always proudly fly our Irish, Dublin and band flag. Then, the other flags that are flown depend on where we are visiting.
The majorettes
This section is made up of 2 parts, a pom pom section and a baton section. Each of which contains very talented girls and as always some beginners, who are thought by the more experienced.
Instruments
The instruments is the main body of the band and currently has clarinets, trumpets, saxophones, euphoniums, and trombones. In most cases people who joined the band and took up an instrument had no experience even playing an instrument before. now these people have developed a skill and demonstrated great talent. Some, even with no previous experience, have become the leaders in their instrument section. The instruments are vital to the band as they provide the music that entertains the thousands of people they play to.
"The Drum section
At the back of the band is the drum section, the pulse that keeps the band together when playing. This is is the hardest section to be a part of as they are no rests on parade. The drums are playing from the start of the parade, they play drum beats between songs and play the songs themselves, and don't stop until the parade is over. The ages people that play drums varries from as young as 5 all the way to adult. It is currently and has for a while been considered the strongest section in the band. The drums are not only the strongest section it continues to get stronger and stronger. Ever since the 2004 band trip to America something changed in the drum section. The drummers were inspired to develop new material and as a result in 2005 the drums parted from the rest of the band for the first time to form the Dublin All Stars Drumline. Although the drum section is first and foremost part of the Dublin All Stars Marching Band, it does continue to develop the 'Drumline' part of the Drum section.

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