NAAS, 13 August: by Trish Whelan. The colourful Dillingen Pipe Band which captivated the hearts of all when they appeared in last year’s Naas Easter Parade, are to return next Easter for a repeat performance.
The invitation was made by the parade’s organiser and current chairman of Naas UDC, Cllr Willie Callaghan, during the recent trip of Naas Twinning Committee and St David’s Pipe Band to Dillingen.
Naas is formally twinned with the historic town of Dillingen an der Donau in Bavaria since 1999 and Willie Callaghan has hailed the recent trip as ‘a great success and a renewal of friendships’.
During their stay last week, the band members certainly renewed friendships with their counterparts, performing together at functions and swopping instruments. John Dooley from Naas acted as conductor for one such joint effort in the huge hall of a local school.
The stay included a tour of the town followed by an official reception where they were greeted by the mayor, Bürgermeister Hans-Jürgen Weigl and by the chairperson of the Dillingen Twinning Committee, Frau Michaela Probst (a regular visitor to Naas).
Cllr Callaghan presented the Mayor with a harp carved in wood with the names of both towns inscribed, made by prisoners in Wheatfield Prison and with a copy of the updated Naas Local History Book. He in turn was presented with a blue and white beer jug from Dillingen. Naas Twinning chairman Cllr Pat O’Reilly also made a presentation to his Dillingen counterpart.
Thursday was spent shopping and sightseeing in Munich. Friday included a visit to the town’s Sheltered Workshop Society which provides over 200 handicapped people with useful employment while also giving them necessary care and attention.
Friday’s visit to a local jail was of special interest to the prison officers who make up St David’s Pipe Band and the group were shown around the prison’s museum with instruments of torture and tools used in jail escapes on show.
Saturday saw a visit to a nearby town with stalls lining the streets, selling local produce. That evening was the start of Festival time in Dillingen with a packed concert featuring both bands.
There was more music on Sunday with a 15-minute performance of the two bands during Mass in the local Basilica and again, on the plaza outside. Here, Cllr O’Reilly presented the local parish priest with clerical vestments and a letter from Naas PP Fr Moling Lennon.
The heavy downpour later failed to dampen spirits in the open air Festival area with the party continuing on until late.
When it was time to depart, four German students accompanied the group back to Naas for a two week stay.
Willie Callaghan has praised the ‘huge contribution’ made by the band to the festivities. “We adopted the Prison Officers Band for a few days as many of them live in Naas and gave them a new name,” he said adding it was a privilege and a pleasure to be there in Dillingen as chairman of Naas UDC.
However, he said he would like to see the links now expanded to include KARE and other such organisations as well as industry.
©2001trishwhelan/knn