West Of Scotland Band Alliance
Encyclopedia
The West of Scotland Band Alliance', are the oldest Republican marching organisation in Scotland formed in 1979. They march to promote the establishment of a 32 County Socialist Republic of Ireland. The band alliance regularly organise events to commemorate Irish republicans who have died in the struggle for Irish unity . The Band alliance enjoy support from Republicans of all political views.
The Band Alliance states that it is currently an independent organisation which fully supports the Good Friday Treaty, although this has been called into question as anti-Treaty banners are usually found on their parades.
The organisation declared their support for former member and Provisional Irish Republican Army
prisoner Michael Dickson imprisoned for an attack on the Osnabrück
barracks in Germany and are the only republican organisation in Scotland to do so.
They are closely involved with epublican Network For Unity (Scotland)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Network_For_Unity_%28Scotland%29
RFB, The Billy Reid
RFB and The Kevin Barry
RFB. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the infamous battle that took place on 21 April on Victoria Road in Glasgow
when republicans were marching in support of the blanket protest in Long Kesh. As the march made its way down Victoria Road it came under sustained attack from Ulster loyalists
, resulting in several band members being injured.
After the events of that day, it was decided that republicans
should organise themselves into one organisation. The West of Scotland Republican Band Alliance was formed. All future marches would be organised by the Band Alliance committee. At their peak in the mid 1980s, there were 18 flute bands in the Band Alliance.
The Band Alliance states that it is currently an independent organisation which fully supports the Good Friday Treaty, although this has been called into question as anti-Treaty banners are usually found on their parades.
The organisation declared their support for former member and Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
prisoner Michael Dickson imprisoned for an attack on the Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
barracks in Germany and are the only republican organisation in Scotland to do so.
They are closely involved with epublican Network For Unity (Scotland)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Network_For_Unity_%28Scotland%29
Formation
In October 1979 a meeting took place in the East End of Glasgow with the Three flute bands that existed in the city at that time: The James ConnollyJames Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
RFB, The Billy Reid
Billy Reid
Billy Reid was a United Kingdom orchestra leader, songwriter and accordionist.When the vocalist Dorothy Squires joined his band, he took it as an opportunity to write songs especially for her, many of them, such as "The Gypsy," "A Tree in the Meadow," and "I'm Walking Behind You," became hits in...
RFB and The Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry
Kevin Gerard Barry was the first Irish republican to be executed by the British since the leaders of the Easter Rising. Barry was sentenced to death for his part in an IRA operation which resulted in the deaths of three British soldiers.Barry's death is considered a watershed moment in the Irish...
RFB. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the infamous battle that took place on 21 April on Victoria Road in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
when republicans were marching in support of the blanket protest in Long Kesh. As the march made its way down Victoria Road it came under sustained attack from Ulster loyalists
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
, resulting in several band members being injured.
After the events of that day, it was decided that republicans
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
should organise themselves into one organisation. The West of Scotland Republican Band Alliance was formed. All future marches would be organised by the Band Alliance committee. At their peak in the mid 1980s, there were 18 flute bands in the Band Alliance.