Defence Forces School of Music - Bands
The Band of 4 Western Brigade
The Army No. 4 Band was formed in 1936 and has been located at Custume Barracks, Athlone since that time. The band’s numerical title was later changed to a territorial style; thus the Army No. 4 Band became The Band of the Western Command. Its current title, The Band of 4 Western Brigade, dates from a re-organisation of the Defence Forces in 1997.
The band services a large area ranging northward from Westmeath to Donegal and westward to Galway and Mayo. It performs a wide range of Military, State and Civilian Engagements each year and is recognised as being an integral part of the cultural life on the West of Ireland.
The band has the distinction, unique among Irish military bands, of having served a six-month tour as part of a United Nations mission, (UNFICYP - Cyprus) in 1965. During this tour the band played at over one hundred events for the Greek and Turkish communities on the island. Also uniquely it was the first Defence Forces band to perform in the United Kingdom when it played at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. More recently the band’s visits abroad include performances at festivals, parades and tattoos in France, Lebanon and Belgium.
Conductor
Captain Declan Whitston
Captain Whitston joined the Defence Forces in 1984 as a saxophonist, continuing a long family tradition. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the Defence Forces and his granduncles, the Hendrick brothers were founder members of the Army No.2 Band.
On graduating from D.I.T/Trinity College in 1992 with an honours degree in music performance, Captain Whitston was posted to the Band of the Southern Command, where he continued his studies under Professor David Cox at University College Cork. In 1995 Captain Whitston was awarded an honours masters degree in music.
Captain Whitston has won gold medals in both the Dublin and Sligo Feis Ceoil competitions and has performed as soloist with many ensembles. He has recorded with many of Ireland’s top musical groups and has performed with Defence Forces bands in Italy, France, Germany and Canada.