A NEW exhibition commemorating 160 years of music and community at St John’s Brass and Reed Band is now open to the public.
160 Years of St John’s Brass and Reed Band 1865-2025, in association with Limerick Museum, is now open at Saint Mary’s Cathedral and charts more than a century and a half of the history of the Limerick musical institution.
The band was first founded in 1865 as the Victuallers Band, during a time when brass bands had political affiliations or represented a regional or city guild. Guilds were similar to trade unions and the Victuallers Band was the Limerick butchers’ guild band.
Attending the launch, Mayor of Limerick John Moran said that “St John’s Brass and Reed band is a group that has shaped the sound of our city over many decades and indeed generations”.
“While the musical legacy they continue to leave is an incredibly impactful one, the band has also left its mark on the cultural and historical fabric of Limerick.
“By remembering and celebrating the contributions of groups like St John’s, who are of course still going strong today, we keep our shared history and culture vibrant for future generations to come. The exhibition is a fitting tribute to a band that continues to inspire pride in Limerick”, the Mayor added.
The band went through many changes throughout the decades, including several name changes. It was first renamed as St John’s Temperance Band, linked to the temperance movement which campaigned for the complete abstinence of alcohol.
It was later known as the Workingmen’s Brass and Reed Band, until it was named as St John’s Brass and Reed Band.
The band also had many homes including Hatters Lane off John’s St, Scotts Lane off Broad Street, and St John’s Square and Crosses Yard.
From 1954 to 2011, the band was based in a hall behind St John’s pavilion on Mulgrave Street, and later on the Garryowen Road.
Today, rehearsals are at the Redemptorist Centre of Music on the Island Road.
The 160 Years of St John’s Brass and Reed Band 1865-2025 exhibition will be on display in Saint Mary’s Cathedral until November 15.
