Love blossoms for musicians as the band plays on

“IF music be the food of love, play on...” — Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

If you have little to celebrate this Valentine’s day, you may be heartened by the story of a Waterford couple.

Both keen musicians, Neil and Ruth Brophy were brought together through their love of music. Neil plays euphonium and Ruth plays clarinet and they met while both playing with the renowned Barrack Street Concert Band in Waterford city.

Neil explains: “I joined the band in 1992 when Ruth was already a member. At the time, there was a group of younger band members who were all good friends and used to spend time together outside of band practices and concerts, going to the pub and stuff. Ruth and I were both part of that group which is how we got to know each other.”

What started out as friendship and a common interest in all things musical eventually took a romantic turn, when a musically-inspired trip led to love blossom between the duo.

“It was when we went to the Cork Jazz Festival in 1994 that we started seeing each other — music has played a vital part in our whole relationship,” says Neil.

They were married in 1997 and have three daughters: Kate, 9, Jill, 7, and Ellen, 2.

“Although Ruth no longer plays in the band, I still do, and am treasurer”, says Neil. “We’ll never forget how music has brought us together, and we really hope that our daughters will also catch the music bug. There might be a new generation of Brophys playing in the Barrack Street Concert Band in the future.”

The Barrack Street Concert Band was formed in 1870 in the Mount Sion Christian Brothers School on Barrack Street in the city.

Since then the band remains popular with the people of Waterford and beyond.

Members recently launched an appeal for new rehearsal premises as they have been operating, since 1968, in a hall at Green Street.The hall has outgrown the band’s needs and a search for a new “home” is under way.