But problems arose after a few years. Hope found the musical ability of his potential guardsmen to be in exact opposite ratio to their height or intimidation abilities. So by the mid-50s they dropped the bagpipes and adopted guard only duties. Thats really all I remember and Im sure I missed some details.

Here is my opinion. The Guard had lost most of its affiliation with the band. They are and always have been a band section, this is a return to their section status more than their musical ability. As for the now “more exclusive nature” that doesnt really make sense to me. Before you had to be 6’2″ now you have to be in the band. Not every student at ND could apply and that remains the case again now. Any student who puts in minimal effort to learn an instrument (preferably something like tuba) can make the band. Hell Johnny Romano was in the band his freshman year.

I am no longer as involved in the band as I once was but I know Dr. Dye very well. This decision is what he believes is best for the band, and as someone who has led the band to prominence in the past decade and a half (see sudler trophy) I put my faith in him that this was not only a necessary decision, but the right one.

Thanks for posting that. If you read my original article, I embedded a short film about the Guard, and that’s the general narrative, more or less. I just think that it’s clear that the formation didn’t occur until 1951 and that they lost their pipes by 1953. Again, I sort of want to be corrected.

Rather they were just big body guards. Before long they would follow the band everywhere making sure that no trouble started. Hope did not mind them because they protected the band, but he saw an opportunity to connect them with an idea he had had 5 or more years ago. He enlisted them as band members to protect the band and as their own section. They were taught how to play bagpipes and indeed some band members joined the ranks. They were their own group that could march with the band and play to give a rest to the chops of the other band members. There was also mention of a tradition now long lost where they would march around the stadium playing their bagpipes

I dont remember it perfectly, but here is what ive got.

In the early 1940s Either 41 or 42 saw a halftime performance by either Iowa or Missouri which featured a group of female pipers and drummers. The school had had to significantly reduce its band size due to WWII. Hope was struck by the idea of this group and thus began the original idea for the Irish Guard.

The band used to march around campus and then into the old fieldhouse. The students would follow the band but before entering the field house they would rush to the front of the band cramming through the doors to get the best seats. The band would be crushed in the process. So in order to prevent this some of the band members (probably the trombone section which entered first) would have their larger friends meet them at the field house and make sure that there was no problem with entering. These were not uniformed students,

http://www.change.org/petitions/petition-to-restore-the-real-irish-guard-at-notre-dame

So what does it say, please? I’d love to know.

Interestingly, the 1963 Observer reported that ND tried to, but could not ultimately, form a “dykes on bikes” patrol.

This will always and forever remain true (and has now extended into people not caring that their Facebook accounts kill anonymity): http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/215499488_8pSZr-L-2.jpg

“Harry Paratestes · Top Commenter · No
Nothing about ND surprises me anymore. No doubt they will have a prancing Irish guard soon or maybe a dykes on bikes guard. ND is becoming Berkeley North.
Reply ·
· 1 · 20 hours ago”

I hate people