‘Echoes of Brass’ unveiled at Mullingar Bandhall
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Adrienne Syron, chairperson; Vincent Dolan, Concert Band conductor; Kim Magee, band director; Hubie Magee, band director emeritus and artist; Brian Wynne, former band member who presented the trombone; and Gerry Baker, current band member and nephew of Brian; with the Echoes of Brass artwork.Image 2 of 3
Mullingar Brass and Reed Band, St Patrick’s Day 1960, (back row) Dickie Murray, Richie McCaffrey, Brendan Nea, Terry Nea, Eamonn Boyle, Sean McCaffrey, Tony Lyons and Olly McCaffrey; (next row) Anthony Molloy, James Dowd, Danny Murray, Bobby Clarke, Joe Murray, Sean Coyne, Tony Darcy, Frankie Lyons and Hughie Devaney; (next row) Jumbo Higgins, Hubie Magee, Louis McCullough, Johnny Darcy, Larry Burgess, Jack Magee and Barney McCormack; (front) Brian Wynne, William Daly, Eugene Daly, and John Daly (in front of the band).Image 3 of 3
Brian or Terry Nea playing the trombone c.1959/1960.A piece of Mullingar’s rich musical history has found a permanent home in the Bandhall, as the Mullingar Town Band unveiled an original artwork titled ‘Echoes of Brass; In its silence, it holds the memories of hundreds of songs’.
The centrepiece of this display is a century-old trombone, donated to the band in 2022 by former member Brian Wynne. The instrument is believed to have been played by one of the Nea brothers – Brendan or Terry – during their time with the band.
Following its donation, the trombone was restored, cleaned, and polished by Vincent Dolan. It was then handed over to band director emeritus and artist Hubert Magee, who transformed the instrument into an artwork.
Hubert’s design presents the trombone mounted against a painted blackboard once used for teaching, creating a contrast between the past and the present. Beside the instrument is a framed description detailing its history.
Enhancing the display are two additional framed photographs: one showing the trombone in use during a parade around 1959/1960, and the other a posed photo of the Mullingar Brass and Reed Band on St Patrick’s Day in 1960.
For those who have passed through the ranks of the band, and for generations to come, Echoes of Brass now stands as a witness to countless songs once played and memories still echoing through time.