Made to Parade

Book excerpt: Made to Parade shares the story of a young boy growing up in the middle of the Northern Ireland troubles, who found his passion in music by joining a marching band and learning to play the flute. Little did he know that this would be beneficial for him in so many ways, not only would he learn an instrument, he would develop new friendships, learn how to be part of a team and keep him out of the trouble happening all around him. Joining the band came as some major transitions happened in his life, and it helped him navigate his way through them. Join him on his journey, learning to play an instrument and making new friendships that would last the test of time.The story provides an inside look at the culture of Protestant marching bands in Northern Ireland. The marching band scene in Northern Ireland is massive and few outside its ranks understand its scale. Some 620 bands are active across the province and membership numbers make it the largest voluntary arts sector in Northern Ireland. Much of what has been written about marching bands has either been from an academic perspective or investigative journalism, the inside story of joining a marching band has never been shared like this before.