Inside the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band: Stories & History | Tom McLoughlin

Welcome back to The Irish Snug! In this episode, Tim sits down with **Tom McLoughlin—Dublin Fire Brigade** firefighter, fire chief, and former chairman of the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band. Tom shares his journey starting as a retained firefighter in 1988, joining the pipe band in 1992, and building a deep, lifelong brotherhood with the **New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Pipe Band**. From unexpected trips to Moscow to emotional visits to New York after 9/11 and honor guard duties for Irish history, Tom shares unforgettable stories from a lifetime of service, music, and camaraderie. **Episode Highlights & Timestamps** • 0:00:00 – Welcome to The Irish Snug: Intro with Tom McLoughlin • 0:00:36 – The evolution of the podcast: From "Pubs & Pints" to "The Irish Snug" • 0:04:23 – Joining the Dublin Fire Brigade as a retained firefighter in 1988 • 0:05:52 – Tom’s first interaction with the FDNY Pipe Band in Malahide (1989) • 0:07:13 – Growing up in Malahide & working security and Mountjoy Prison • 0:09:22 – Joining the DFB Pipe Band in 1992 as a drummer • 0:10:43 – The infamous 1993 pipe band trip to Moscow, Russia • 0:14:33 – First trip to NYC (1994), trading a hat for World Cup tickets & meeting the FDNY • 0:17:38 – Travels across the US & Europe: Delray Beach, DC, Chicago, & London • 0:21:05 – Traveling to New York for FDNY line-of-duty funerals after 9/11 • 0:22:17 – Funny memories with band legend Peter Hedderman at the Rose of Tralee • 0:26:28 – The 2006 All-Ireland competition in Letterkenny with the FDNY • 0:31:22 – Traditional vs. modern pipe band music & evolving the repertoire • 0:35:41 – The story behind the Dublin Fire Brigade tartan and uniform • 0:38:37 – Remembering FDNY Chairman Joe Murphy & the bond between bands • 0:41:06 – Visiting Ground Zero and honoring Bronco • 0:44:46 – Serving as pallbearer for Irish patriot Kevin Barry in 2001 • 0:46:32 – Closing thoughts & upcoming reunions in Dublin **Links Mentioned** • Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band: https://www.facebook.com/DFBPipeBand/ • FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums: https://www.fdnypipesanddrums.net/ • Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann: https://fleadhcheoil.ie/ • Malahide Castle & Gardens: https://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/ **Connect with The Irish Snug Podcast:** \* Website: https://www.theirishsnugpodcast.com/ \* YouTube:   https://www.youtube.com/@irishsnug \* Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show \* Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ \* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php? \* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irish\_snug #IrishSnug #DublinFireBrigade #FDNY #Bagpipes #IrishHeritage Send us Fan Mail Support the show