Director who was major influence on generations of Navan musicians

OBITUARY: Jack Regan

Jack Regan, of Gardiner Street in Dublin, who died on 28th February last, was well known in music and band circles in Meath and further afield, and was associated chiefly with two bands in Navan over the last six decades, the St Mary’s/Navan Silver Band, and later, the Irish National Foresters Brass Band.

Aged 87, he died peacefully in the Mater Hospital. He had been working with the Foresters Band in Navan up until lockdown was imposed last year, travelling to the town from his north city home for practice and events.

The origins of the Navan Silver Band date back to 1941, when Fr Sean Kenny, then teaching in St Patrick’s Classical School (later to be Monsignor Sean Kenny, PP, Trim), and Martin Ryan founded the Navan Boys’ Band. It met in the Banba Hall on the Fair Green, gave outdoor recitals and indoor concerts, and took part in the first Meath Pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1948. By the late 1950s, and now known a sthe St Mary’s Brass Band Navan, lack of money and emigration had hit the band severely, and Martin Ryan brought Jack Regan on board. He was a French horn player with the Postal Workers Band in Dublin, and took up the role in late 1959 into 1960.

Francis Duffy, well-known Navan cornet player, who describes Jack Regan as the greatest inspiration to the band, recalls classes on a Saturday afternoon and band practice on Saturday and Monday night. At the time, the band was made up of a handful of adults and a lot of youngsters.

“He was an inspirational figure who brought a dedication and enthusiasm to the band,” Francis says.

An active committee of parents fundraised, and a set of new uniforms were acquired. The band started to compete - and winning - in Feis Cheoil competitions, and went on to take part in many band competitions with great success, all down to the leadership of Jack Regan.

A compositor in the Evening Herald at Independent Newspapers, Jack was also a great Dublin GAA fan, and living close to Croke Park, was a regular there. He was also an amateur photographer, capturing many great images.

On occasions when the Artane Boys Band was taking a break from appearing at Croke Park matches, Jack brought the Navan band in and they performed at a Leinster final and a couple of All Ireland semi-finals on the big GAA stage. During one All Ireland semi-final, Jack led the band diagonally across the pitch, which was remarked on his commentary by RTE broadcaster, Micheal O’Hehir, at the time.

Jack had a connection with Clare, and brought the band on camps to Kilkee. Francis Duffy also recalled Jack arranged music and had the most exquisite handwriting of music.

He retired as musical director in 1979. In a piece on the band in the volume five of the Navan Historical Society journal, band member Tony Kavanagh said that musicians past and present owe their love of music and their expertise to this one man whose passion and dedication influenced so many Navan musicians of today.

That influence was to continue when some parents involved with a group of young musicians at the Irish National Foresters in Navan brought Jack on board. In 1979, Joan Rennicks, May Lynch and Maggie Fagan invited Jack to take a group of mainly tin whistle players under his guidance, and he was to spend the next 31 years developing and bringing the INF brass band to great musical heights.

His dedication saw him in the CYWS Hall every Saturday evening from 5pm to 10pm, travelling by bus or car, depending on the weather.

He continued the trips to Clare, especially Ennistymon where there was always a great welcome and the community centre was at his and the band’s disposal. They often played at Sunday Masses and cemetery devotions there. His last visit there was in 2019 and Jack was busy preparing the band for the 2020 St Patrick’s Day celebrations last year when the pandemic was declared.

He was involved with the Kells Silver Band, and conducted the St George’s Band in Dublin. Jack also set up summer camps in Gormanston, as well as in Connemara and Clare, and he was bandmaster of St Patrick’s Band in Galway in the mid nineteen sixties. Jack was also involved for a time as musical director of St Mary’s Musical Society, Navan, and various music and youth groups in Dublin.

He died at the Mater Hospital with his musical friends present virtually. He is survived by his sisters, Maureen and Muriel, brother-in-law Albert, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends, especially Keith.

The funeral took place from St Peter’s Church, Phibsboro, to St Fintan’s Cemetery Sutton, where Annie Rennicks of the INF Band played the Last Post at the graveside.

On RIP, a sympathiser wrote: “He will be greatly missed by the generations of young people whose lives were enriched not only by the gift of music he so freely shared but also by the friendship, support and loyalty shown to all by this exceptional human being”.