Scottish Catholic Observer

THE renowned St Francis Pipe Band this year celebrates the 90th anniversary of its formation in the Gorbals in Glasgow.

The band has continued bringing the joy of music to adults and young people alike since 1926, keeping alive the charity, goodwill, energy and commitment of its namesake, St Francis of Assisi, in all its musical ventures.

Since being formed by the Gorbals-based Franciscans nine decades ago, the group has been a steadfast fixture of the area, surviving the demolitions across the decades to emerge as strong as ever.

Today, the pipe band welcomes young children and teenagers to play alongside pensioners. People native to the Gorbals and others from further afield join together to make what Pipe Major and band secretary, David Plizga, fondly describes as the ‘band family.’

Mr Plizga, who has been has been a member of the pipe band since he was eight years old, notes the important role of young people in the band and the effort the band makes to educate the younger generation and share their love of music.

Band members are now involved with a number of schools across the Gorbals, offering free tuition to pupils, in addition to band practice on Monday and Friday nights.

“At St Francis Primary, we have something like 22 kids who are playing who are really, really keen,” Mr Plizga said.

The band has marked its special anniversary in a number of ways, including a trip to Assisi, the Italian town that Mr Plizga says is its spiritual home—the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi.

This is a trip the band hopes to continue to make for members every couple of years, as it provides the perfect opportunity for members to reconnect with the history of the band and their close attachment to the Franciscan Order.

Over the years the band has taken part in some very special performances, including playing for Pope St John Paul II at Murrayfield, and most recently playing when his relics where brought to Scotland.

The band has also played at a number of other high-profile events in this, its 90th year, including the Kiltwalk, Gorbals and Govan Fairs, and Carmunnock Games.

Also in its diary is the upcoming Christmas Day parade, when the band will play through the streets of Govan on Christmas morning.

The group will celebrate the occasion with its own special evening together with videos reflecting—particularly for some of the younger members—the history of the Gorbals area.

The anniversary celebrations will also continue into the start of next year, with the band’s popular annual ceilidh being held in February.

This year has also seen the band further embrace its connection to St Francis of Assisi and the Fransiscans by adopting a new, specially designed tartan —a fitting tribute to coincide with the group’s important anniversary.

“It’s been designed by one of the boys in the band,” Mr Plizga said. The new tartan is a departure from the group’s traditional green kilts to a tartan with shades of brown and blue—the brown to closely resemble the colour of the robes so famously and recognisably associated with the Fransiscan Order, and the blue to reference their Scottish heritage.

Yet despite big changes to the band’s uniform, and its exciting plans for the future, the band’s key principles remain the same.

It continues to be self-funded, and charges no fees for tuition or uniforms to band members.

“The band family is very important to us,” Mr Plizga said.

“It’s always been that we will figure a way to not be a financial barrier to any adults or kids.

“It’s very grounding in the sense that it’s not about the money, the band with the best uniforms, the best players. It’s about our family of parishioners.”

—This story ran in full in the November 25 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.