St. Patrick’s Day, 1984
The Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band is pictured above in their inaugural perfomance marching in the Alexandria, Virginia, St. Patrick’s Day parade.
After spending the previous autumn and winter taking piping and drumming lessons, working the practice chanters and drum pads, the Emerald Society pipers stepped off for the first time. In the 25 years since, the band has kept together with the usual slight turnover that all bands experience, but a core group of leaders has guided it for the full quarter-century.
The band now marches in 3 or 4 St. Patrick’s Day parades each year along with some other annual events in the Washington, D. C. area such as the Vienna Hallowe’en parade and the Alexandria Christmas Walk each December that is an all-pipe band parade.
The NoVa Emeralds are easily picked out by the experienced parade-goers because they are the only Irish pipe band in the mid-Atlantic area that wears the traditional Irish saffron kilt. No Scottish plaids for this bunch who plays mostly the Irish pipe and folk tunes in their repertoire.
For the past several years they have been the lead band and coordinators at the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
St. Patrick’s Day, 2009
Congratulations from all the gang at Firegeezer for their milestone. Best wishes for the next 25 years to come and special thanks to Pipe Major Steve Cochrane, Pipe Sergeant Ed Snyder, Piper Gary Winemiller and Drum Major Brian Brendel.
Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band WEBSITE.
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