Band History

 The Peconic Warpipes Bagpipes and Drums of Long Island were founded in 1997 by Tim Buckley, the band's first Pipe major, John Stevens, Rich Smith and Jerry Buckley. It was not long before other experienced pipers and drummers joined the band along with several new students. The band has played too many functions to recount all of them, but a few notable exceptions are worth mentioning. The band had the honor of leading the Rocky Point Friends of St. Patrick Parade on Long Island in 1998 & 1999. We led and received the award for best band at the 50th anniversary Jamesport Fire Department Carnival Parade in 1999. The band won a trophy for "Most Irish" and the best pipeband award at the 2000 Patchogue St. Patricks Parade. We have also appeared live on News 12 Long Island, local cable access, and Long Island radio stations WRCN 103.9 FM and WALK 97.5 FM. The Band played at the Nassau Coliseum during half-time at a New York Saints game, the Long Island based lacrosse team. In January 2000, Tim Buckley turned over the job of Pipe Major to Tom Cummings.

    The band also marched with the Montauk Friends of Erin in the 242nd New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2003. Since 2003, we have played at the annual Scottish Tattoo, at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY. The band has played in the "Broadway Ballroom" in the Mariott Marquis in New York City at the National Convention of the Woodmen Life Insurance Society. Since 2004, the band has marched with the County Carlow Association in the St. Patrick's Day parade in NYC. This affiliation with the County Carlow Association is all the more interesting since the band's tartan is that of County Carlow in Ireland. The Peconic Warpipes continues to march throughout the Long Island area, winning many awards. The band continues to grow both in membership and musical repertoire, and most importantly, have lots of fun!

The name "Warpipes" is a nod to the traditional, and today rarely found, two droned Great Irish Warpipe played in Ireland from ancient times until the mid-eighteenth century. Like most, if not all, pipe bands in the United States, the band plays the three droned Scottish Great Highland Bagpipes. For the history of the instrument, see the Wikipedia entry on the Bagpipes.

The Peconic Warpipes band members, of both Irish and Scottish descent, are proud to carry on the history and traditions of bagpipe bands from the distant past. In fact, Peconic Warpipe member Ken Gillan's (pictured below in NYC, St. Patrick's Day 2005) great-great grandfather Daniel Gillan, pictured below in India (1893), was a member of the famed 93rd Sutherland Highlanders Bagpipe Regiment. (second row from top, sixth from the left)