The MPS Emerald Society Pipes & Drums

The Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society were formed on the 7th May 2006, by a small group of serving Metropolitan Police officers of Irish origin, under Pipe Major Dominic Murphy.

The Band initially met for practice at the Headquarters of The London Irish Rifles, who coincidentally were billeted at Brixton Police station during 1945. Along the way we have recruited ex-military Pipers and Drummers who have added a great wealth of knowledge to the Band. The band soon out grew the facility at Camberwell and during the summer of 2006, moved to the Police training school at Hendon, which is where we are still based. During our first year, we managed to purchase our uniforms and a full set of Drums, along with a few sets of Pipes.

We have carried out engagements at a number of different venues, pass out parades at Hendon for the new Police recruits, escort to the Mayor of London for the 2007 St Patrick’s day parade, the Yvonne Fletcher memorial service in London, the Jack Brown charity appeal, The Emerald society Family day and social evening.

We are booked to play at the Last Post Ceremony on the Remembrance weekend in Ypres in Belgium and have enquiries from overseas, for the coming years.

In its present form the Band now welcomes players and learners from outside of the Police community all we ask is a willingness to learn and the ability to turn up for practice which is held every Sunday at Hendon from 10.00-14.00 at the Driving school.

If you already play either Pipes or Drums or you want to learn to play either please give us a call on 07762 934221, or better still come and give us the once over at Hendon on any Sunday.

Dominic Murphy - Pipe Major - MPS Emerald Society Pipes and Drums

Our Uniform

The Uniform of the Band is Green jacket and waistcoat with Maid of Erin buttons, Saffron Kilt with a cloth Shamrock with a silver Tara brooch, a plain leather purse with a silver Shamrock, white hose with green flashes, black brogues shoes with flaps and silver shamrock buckles, our head-dress is a Balmoral with a silver Harp, (Pipe Majors is the Maid of Erin) with a St Patrick’s blue hackle.

We have been fortunate in that the Pipe Major has had most of the uniform made abroad and the Kilts are being made by a Band member who happens to be a kilt maker, the silver has also been made for the Band to our own design. We have been able to have enough uniforms made for 20 playing members.

The March of the MPS Emerald Society Pipes and Drums