The Band Of The Royal Irish Regiment-Highland Cathedral

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table®

I've never been to Ireland. Irish music bellows loud and proud, Irish beer and whiskey are yummy, but as I speak to people who are Irish or have spent time in Ireland, there is one unanimous theme. Irish people are happy, hospitable and passionate about their heritage.

Basically that also sums up some goals for The Spirited Table®. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Artist Biography by William Ruhlmann

The British military unit the Royal Irish Regiment had its origins in Tiffins Inniskillings, which was raised in Enniskillen in 1689. Over a period of 300 years, the unit, later called the Royal Irish Rangers, participated in such operations as the Battle of Waterloo, the Indian Mutiny, the Boer War, World War I (the Battle of the Somme), World War II (the Dunkirk evacuation, D-Day in Normandy), and the Korean War. On July 1, 1992, the Royal Irish Rangers were combined with the Ulster Defence Regiment to form the Royal Irish Regiment, the largest infantry regiment in the British Army. In the 1990s and 2000s, the regiment saw action in Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 1993, the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment was formed through the combination of the regimental bands of the first and second battalions. The band provided musical support to the regiment as well as playing for many civilian organizations and charities in performances at such venues as the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the Manchester Cathedral, and the Royal Albert Hall in London. The band toured Germany and Canada, and appeared at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. It also made a series of recordings. Due to military draw-downs, the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment disbanded on October 31, 2007.