The most famous and best-remembered songs of emigration and exile. Millions of Irish have left Ireland since the Famine and brought with them many songs of emigration and exile.
This is the St. Patrick’s Day edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion and features Irish music. We open with and Irish tune that is the official march of the U.S. First Cavalry Division: \“The Gary Owen March.\” The tune was the favorite of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, sometimes referred to as General Custer, who was the commander of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment. During one battle in 1874, Col. Custer ordered the 7th Cavalry mounted band to perform the march while leading his soldiers into battle. In 1876, the band members were not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (also known as Custer’s Last Stand) because their horses were needed as backup mounts for the cavalrymen. The band played the march while standing when the regiment left camp. Ultimately, the band did go to the battle site to recover the wounded and escort them to safety.