Member Profiles

The following former band members have continued their involvement in music in the time since they left the band.

Alan Duggan, Michael Kennedy, John Mernin, and Liam Walsh represented Ireland in the European Brass Band Championships with Arklow Silver Band five times from 2000 to 2005.

Brendan Doyle

Brendan is a classically trained clarinettist and is also a virtuosic saxophonist. He is a regularly featured soloist with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, has featured prominently in National Symphony Orchestra TV recording of Gerschwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, is a founder member of the Irish Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Irish Jazz Orchestra, and The Improvised Music Ensemble, Album “Wiggle Squiggle”. Has worked with many artists including Kenny Wheeler, Chucho Valdes, Shirley Bassey, Louis Stewart, Jack Jones, John Taylor, and Norma Winstone. He is very interested in ethnic music from all parts of the globe.

Fergus O’Carroll

Fergus O’Carroll has studied French Horn with Victor Malirsh in the Royal Irish Academy of Music under a scholarship from the Irish Youth Orchestra and is currently Section Principal Horn with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. As well as Musical Director of the Dublin Concert Band, Fergus is also Musical Director of Dublin Symphony Orchestra, Mullingar Choral Society and Director of Bands and Head of the Wind Brass and Percussion Faculty at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Fergus holds a Masters Degree in Music from CIT Cork School of Music.  As well as being a publisher for Irish wind band music, Fergus is Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee that recently presented the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles World Conference in Ireland in July 2007, since hailed as the best WASBE conference ever. Fergus has been Assistant to the Conductor of Anna Livia International Opera since it’s inception and is currently actively working to set up an annual international band festival in Ireland.

Gavin Roche

After Gavin left the band in 1988 he completed a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Music at WIT. He then achieved an MA in Trombone Performance at St. Patrick’s University Maynooth. He has held the post of Associate Principle Trombone with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra since 1997 and has also played with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra and was short listed for Sub Principle Trombone with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in 2007. Gavin has also performed as a soloist with the National Youth Orchestra, Irish Youth Wind Ensemble and RTE Concert Orchestra. He has a keen interest in the lighter end of the repertoire and has performed with various swing bands and artists such as Katherine Jenkins, Pavarotti, Neil Sedaka and U2. He is also a member of the Irish Film Orchestra and has recorded soundtracks such as The Mask, The Tailor of Panama and Lassie. Gavin currently lives in Bray, Co. Wicklow with his family where he teaches in the Bray School of Music and is also an external examiner with the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

John Hanlon plays solo cornet with City of Waterford Brass and also develops & maintains their official website.

John Mernin is President and Principal Cornet with City Of Waterford Brass, and served on the National Executive of the Irish Association of Brass and Military Bands including Vice Chairman.

Liam Walsh, apart from conducting Mount Sion Silver Band, has conducted several other brass bands and plays trombone with Arklow Silver Band who were Irish National Champions many times in recent years.

Mark Fitzgerald was a member of the National Youth Orchestra from 1985 to 1991 (joining at the same time as Donnacha O’Meara). He conducted Mount Sion Silver Band for a time in 2004 and is the current conductor of Barrack Street Concert Band in Waterford. He also has a great interest in choral music and musical theatre, and is currently the Musical Director of the Edmund Rice Choral and Musical Society.

Michael Long plays with the Irish Army Band.

Niall Doyle has played tuba with the Symphony Orchestras here and in Australia, was Chief Executive of Music Network, and Director of Music in RTE before taking up his current role as Chief Execute of Opera Ireland.

Niall O’Connor

After leaving Mount Sion Silver Band in 1988, Niall completed a B.A. (Mus.) in W.I.T. Shortly after that, he obtained an L.T.C.L. and studied conducting in the R.I.A.M. in Dublin. He then played trumpet professionally in Dublin, regularly performing with the National Symphony Orchestra and R.T.E. concert orchestra. He has conducted the Barrack Street Concert Band, Waterford and St. Mary’s Brass & Reed Band, Maynooth, where he also ran a music school. Since moving home to Waterford, he has conducted City Of Waterford Brass Band and currently teaches music.

Seamus Doyle and Patrick Kennedy have also held principal positions in both the Irish National Symphony Orchestra and the Irish National Concert Orchestra.

Many others have gone on to play with other brass bands, orchestras and other fine musical groups.

Undoubtedly many more have been omitted, and hopefully it will be possible to add many more names to this list after the players’ reunion in October 2009.