Sadly my Father in law Tommy Woodcock passed away peascefully on 22nd August at the age of 87. he was from Ballymena in N. Ireland and was a great musician. He taught many children and was a conductor and trombonist with teh Curragh Silver band for 62 years. I encouraged my husband to arrange for members of the band to play around the graveside which they agreed to do. they played Tommy's own arrangement of near to the Cross and faded out leaving only the Trombone playing.
Poignant to say the least.
The weekend after his death was Black Saturday, the traditional marching day of the Royal Black Instrituion a senior Lodge to the Orange Lodge. The lodge near to my parents- in law would normally do a short local march before heading off to the main event but this year they chose, entirely off their own bat not to play in the locality but to march only with a single drum tap as a mark of respect.
I appreciated that but Tommy's life was about music not silence. So I asked the Pride of the Maine flute band to come and play directly outside the door as a tribute. The result is in the video below. I apologise for the breath sounds... the arranging involved some running up and down the hill to ensure my MIL and husband were at the door to see it!
2 comments:
A touching tribute to your Father-in-Law. Seeing that pipe band brought back memories of watching the Orange Day parades in Belfast a million years ago when visiting my grandparents. I think my father lived there for a while as my grandfather was a teacher there.
Sincere condolances Helen and Denis and what beautiful tributes and rememberances of your father-in-law.
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