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Press release as featured in the Mallow Star (6th August 1998), the Evening Echo (13th August 1998) and The Corkman (14th August 1998).
"Members of Mallow's Thomas Davis Pipe Band have just returned from Italy where they represented Mallow and Ireland by participating in the 4th International Folk Festival held in the town of Norma from July 23rd to the 28th. Folk groups from Mexico, Brazil, Croatia, Slovakia and several parts of Italy also attended.
Apart from the parades and performances in the town of Norma itself, which is situated about 40 miles south of Rome, the Pipe Band also played in festivals in the nearby towns of Ceccano and Sabaudia. Fortunately, all performances were in the cool of the evenings. The band's performances were the first time many of the locals and international groups had encountered an Irish Pipe Band.
On Monday, July 28th, the Mallow group travelled to Rome and were able to visit the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi fountain and the Colosseum. At the closing of the festival, the Pipe Band exchanged gifts with the other international groups and presented a letter of greeting from Mallow Urban District Council to the festival director. Several band members wore their uniforms on the flights home through Rome and Heathrow Airports, attracting favourable comments from tourists and members of the public.
The band members who travelled were: Colm Dwane, Kevin and Laurence O'Sullivan, John Paul Neenan, Liam Fleming, Brian Rudden, Janet Curran, Emma Murphy, Stephen Murphy, Denis O'Sullivan and Michael and Catherine Healy. All thoroughly enjoyed the trip and are looking forward to another venture abroad in the future."
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