Traditions: Bagpipes and Irish Roots

Observe major cities and small towns alike near Saint Patrick’s Day and you will see a heavy presence of the firefighter community, whether in the form of parades, ceremonies, or good old revelry. For more than one reason, Saint Patrick’s Day is a celebratory time for firefighters to honor rich Irish traditions intertwined in the history of the fire service.

Photo by FDNY Emerald Society

In the 1800s, the Great Potato Famine caused in influx of Irish immigrants to the northeast of the United States. Facing discrimination in other industries and in the community, Irish immigrants often took on the jobs that others did not want due to high mortality rates, such as firefighting. Finding a sense of brotherhood and respect within the fire service, these men fortified their community within firefighting, bringing in their traditions with pride and honor as they were demoralized from the outside. By the mid-1800s, the Irish had become a dominant force in the fire service, and many firehouses in cities like New York, Chicago, and Boston were staffed predominantly by Irish-Americans. Even today, you will find a strong Irish-American presence in the fire service, as many joined in the legacies of their family before them.

The strong Irish influence shaped the values and traditions that continue to define the fire service today, one such tradition is the playing of pipes and drums in times of celebration, as well as mourning. The powerful drone of the beginning tones of a bagpipe starting, and the utter silence save for its bold, strong notes are made to honor; stoic reminders that provoke strong emotions from many, if not all, who hear. Memories of ultimate sacrifices made, of the long, hard fought history of the fire service in America, and the family that is forged in fire.

Photo by FDNY Emerald Society

Another testament to the fortitude of early Irish-American firefighters is the continuation of their traditions to the present day. Think of the strong connection and culture that had to have been cultivated within these beginning departments, which were not even really departments at that time, just groups of people with a common goal of protecting person and property at all costs; a community loyal to the brotherhood and what it stands for.

The legacy that endures in the modern fire service through time honored traditions can be seen and felt at all times of year. But in March especially, Saint Patrick’s Day parades will be saturated with men in kilts, ushering their engines and other apparatus through the street, while onlookers cloaked in green take in the sight and sounds of the culmination of nearly 200 years of community and connection created among the flames. The haunting melodies not only pay tribute to fallen firefighters but also celebrates the brotherhood and sacrifice that defines the profession.

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Photo by FDNY Emerald Society