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Rory O'Moore School of Pipes and Drums

ROMSPD

History

In the summer of 1995, a group of people met in the kitchen of Keith Wood’s house to discuss their future. Five of these people had recently left another band and were contemplating what to do next in their piping and drumming careers. This meeting all started because Joe Sclafani happened to find out through his network of contacts that the “Woods were seen in Kearney looking at kilts.” Before we knew it, a band had been formed with a nucleus of 13 people. Our first practices were held in the basement of one of our members. Within a couple of months, the band’s practice location shifted to the Ledgewood Baptist Church where we remain to this day.

In March of 1996, the band played in its first parade, the Morristown St. Patrick’s Day parade with a grand total of 14 playing members. Pearl River, NY and West Orange, NJ rounded out our St. Patrick’s Day season. Also in 1996, the band brought in an instructor to augment the in-house instruction. Joey McGonigal, a man of many talents, was chosen to help the band grow and improve as we added members to the fold.

We held our first dance in January of 1997 and it was a great success in terms of fundraising. The band’s first competition was at the Garden State Arts Center Irish Festival in June of 1997. It was also our only competition of the year but the band “got it’s feet wet.” We also continued playing parades.

By 1998, the band had built a solid reputation and played in 18 parades throughout New Jersey and we returned to the competition field in May of 1998 placing 2nd at the Bonnie Brae Competition. We also placed 3rd in June when we competed at the Arts Center Irish Festival.

In 1999, the drum corps came into its own as Martin Duffy of the Bronx began teaching the corps. In late July, our competition season tooked a turn for the better when the band came in 1st place for the first time as did the drum corps. In September, the band took a 2nd place at the Long Island Scottish Festival and the drum corps took another 1st. At the end of this season, the band placed 7th overall in the Grade V in the EUSPBA and was upgraded to the Grade IV.

The Grade IV band never competed in 2000 due to personnel issues but we did put out a Grade V band. In 2001, the band revamped and went out in the Grade V only and did very well. 2002 however was a great year for the band. Instructor Martin Duffy joined the band as Leading Drummer and the drum corps won every event the band competed in that year and the band took 1st place overall in the EUSPBA and was upgraded again. Since 2003, we have remained in the Grade IV and have maintained a second band in the Grade V as well. While we have not yet gotten back to the level of success we were achieving in 2002, we are coming close.

The band has added several new instructors over the past several years. Joining Joey McGonigal as a piping instructor is Jim Stack. Jim began instructing the band several years ago and has been working hard with the Grade IV pipers. Jim has won such piping awards as the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal in 1984, and Silver Medal for piobaireachd playing at the Argyllshire Gathering. With the Grade 1 Kenmure Pipe Band, under the legendary Pipe Major George Bell, Jim, at the age of 12 competed in the Grade I Intercontinental Championship at the Toronto Canadian National Exhibition.

Eric MacNeill, leading drummer for the Grade 1 Oran Mor Pipe Band is our drumming instructor. Eric travels down to Ledgewood several times a month from the Capital District Region of New York and works with all members of the drum corps.

We have suffered some setbacks through the years. In January of 2004, Leading Drummer Martin Duffy and his daughter Hannah died tragically leaving a void in the band that was difficult to fill. Martin wrote all of the drum corps scores and taught both the beginners and the advanced members of the corps. Martin played previously with the Grade II Monaghan Pipe Band and was a tremendous asset to the band.

In May of 2011, founding member Joe Sclafani passed away after a long battle with a variety of health issues. Joe was the “heart and soul” of the band and his loss was devastating to the band who watched Joe battle his illnesses with grace, faith, and character. Always ready with a smile and a bright, red hat on his head, Joe is missed by all in the band.

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