A brass band with a 250-year history, at least, and which performed at the funerals of luminaries such as Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins and O’Donovan Rossa will be giving performances in West Cork this week.

A specially-commissioned piece of ‘marching music’ has been written for Clonakilty as the town prepares for an influx of up to 1,000 visitors next weekend as part of its annual Band Championships.