Dublin’s Black Raven reopens renovated 1879 band hall

The Black Raven Pipe Band of Dublin is one of the oldest non-Scottish pipe bands in the world, and for the last year nearly collapsed due to being homeless and without regular practice facilities until it teamed with the Annsborough Pipe Band of Northern Ireland.

But Black Raven persevered and will move into its completely renovated practice hall, built in 1879, originally the primary school in the village of Lusk, and on October 8th will host a “homecoming” party at the hall with the reopening of its piping and drumming school in early November.

The band also endured the passing of popular President and former-Pipe-Major Jimmy Russell, who died at age 95, and whose grandson, Paul Russell, is the current pipe-major, the fourth Russell to lead Black Raven.

Black Raven was started in 1910 and currently competes in Grade 3B. The band did not manage to compete in 2012, but sustained a core group of players, most of whom competed with the Grade 3A Annsborough over the year.