The Irish standard., 1892-10-01
GILMORE IS GONE,
Cot Patrick Sarsfeld Gilmore, the
Noted Band Leader, Has Fin
ished His Career.
HIS FAME is IMMORTAL,
First Saw the Light in Ireland, But
Born in America in His
Seventeenth Year.

OdAA"nubACI, oAeN oo SAAO AAAA4NA AAScS~ 49,
St. Louis, Mo-, on Saturday evening,
Sept "a, after an illness of fifteen hours.
Col. Gilmore was taken sick in the early
morning with violent cramp in his ston-
ach. He aroused his wife, who immedi
ately summoned the family physician,
and three other physicians we're called
for consultation Two priests were
called from St.. Patrick's Cathedral and
they administered the last rites OF the
Church. There were present at his
death-hed Mrs. Gilmore, Miss Minnie
Gilmore, the three physicians, the two
priests, and several family friends. Col.
Gilmore for FIVE years had conducted
the concerts at the st. Louis exposition
during the annual fall festivities, which
occupy q period of forty days. He came
there from Manhattan Beach four weeks
ago, and had apparently been in the
best OF health up to Saturday. The body
was sent to New York on Monday for
burial.
"Pat" Gilmore was without doubt the
greatest leader the country has ever
known. He was the acknowledged peer
Of Sousa, Cappa, Thomas, Nikish, and
Adamowski. His great peace jubilee at
New Orleans at the close Of the war
created for him a name that went round
the world. 1t Was at once grand, daring
and patriotic. I'm the hot-bed of rebel
lion it cenented peace, and almost be-
fore the thunder OF the cannon had
rolled ont of hearing he had 10000 chill
.aren OF rsbsls singing as one voice:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall
wave
Ger the land OF the free and the home Of the
brave.
Gilmore Was born in the county Gal
way, Ireland, Christmas day, 1880. He
came to America in 18A7. One Of his fa-
vorite expressions was this: II first saw
the light in Ireland, but was born in
America in my seventeenth year" AS
@ child he showed a remarkable aptitude
for music Anything that produced har-
naony of sound claimed his attention.
Fifes, hddles and drums made by his own
hands were his toys. His parents III
tended he should enter the priesthood,
but he was apprenticed to merchant in
Atblone. Tt was soon discovered that
Young Pat cared more for music than he
did for business, and the merchant re-
leased him from his appren ticeship on
condition that he teach his employers
sons what he knew Of music. This he
did gladly. At the barracks in Athlone
Gilmore could always be found in the
room occupied by the band. Finally a
retired bandmaster and famous musician
in the English army, Keating by name.
took hold of the boy, and it wasn't long
before he was an expert on every lnstru-
ment in the band room.
Giimore's career in America reads like
q romance, Ii there as drop Of Irish
blood in hirn-aud it was all Irish-it
Sjnglsd With the love of country, the am
bition to fight, and devotion to princi-
ples. At Il he tade Ireland farwell and
sailed for Boston. Although boy he
had not been in that center Of music a
week until he YVES installed as band
leader. He became the leader OF the
Cbar]estown baud, then the Suffolk, and
later the Boston Brigade band. A We y
f1attering offer Of 81 900 q year induced
him to leave Boston and go to Salem,
where he led the local baud for year.
Al the expiration of his contract he re-
turned to Boston and organized his first
company, which has since become famous
the world over as Gilmore's band.
When the war broke out Gilmore sum-
monea his band one night and in the
plainest kind of English told them what
their duty was. A. day OR two later the
entire band went to the front at the head
OF the Twenty fourth Massachusetts
volunteers, with Pat Gilmore for leader.
In the army Gilmore kept up the stand
ard of his band, and many rebel picket
stopped in his real lonely tread to catch
the cheering strains of Yankee Doodle y
or, perchance, his own beloved Dixie. "
In three years, fighting and playing
Gilmore's name was on the tongue of
every soldier in both armies. The stir
ring, patriotic strains Of his band had
kept,up many failing heart on the long
marches, had cheered many q depressing
case Of the blues, and made many q sol
dior forget that the stones in the road
were QUITTING through the paper scales Of
his commisssry shoes.