It was a September evening as I walked up the Dodder to Ballsbridge. An autumnal downpour had washed the Dodder walk clean and the water was calm after the excess rain. The world looked right, nature at peace with herself, a champagne nip in the air.

It awakened a wistful nostalgia in me and my thoughts went back to September 1935. I found myself joining the throngs of people who had walked the same route to the Royal Dublin Society in Ballsbridge to witness a truly spectacular military tattoo.

Loyalty to the Motherhood is characteristic of the Irish and this was the motif that ran through this tattoo. The opening pageant of the armies of Ireland in which the soldiers of the past and present marched shoulder to shoulder united in this great tradition was a magnificent sight.

The grounds opened in the RDS at 7pm and for an hour a gramophone concert presented by Walton’s musical galleries, North Fredrick Street entertained the crowds. At 8pm the tattoo got under way with an overture by the bands of the regular army. They entered the arena in mass formation playing ‘The Wearing Of The Green’, followed by the ‘War March of O’Neill’.

The tattoo opened with a complete pageant of Irish military history from the dawn of the Christian era down to the present time and each group entered the arena separately in the garb, equipment, armament and formation of its period. The entire pageant was explained by a narrator as it progressed.

The first century Red Branch Knight opened with the entry of the Craobh Ruadh, the famous red branch of Ulster led by Cuchualainn riding in the war chariot of Marcha drawn by Black Shangan and Liah Macha, the famous horses and the Craobh Rua followed by Fianna Éireann (second century). What followed was an impressive line up:

Army of Brian Boru 1014
The Leinster Clans 1375-1417
Armies of Ulster 1593-1602
Army of the Confederation 1641-1649
The Jacobite Army 1688-1695
The Irish volunteers 1782
The United Irishmen 1798
The Fenians 1867
The Irish Republican Army 1916-1921

And finally, the great cavalcade of these soldiers of the past who fought for Ireland was brought to a close with the entry of the detachments representing the army of the present-day on whom falls the responsibility of maintaining the great tradition.

They move on horses, on foot and artillery, representing the three principal arms composed of regular, reserve and volunteer units.

There followed the ceremony’s parade sundown. Sundown is the last parade of the soldier’s day. As the sun sets each evening in all camps, the guards turn out, the flag is slowly lowered and is paid the last honour of the day. This is followed by the mounted display musical ride.

The massive physical training, the historical ride to Ballyneety, the display of infantry drills and magnificent display of illumination figures marching– the people gathered in the RDS were treated to a visual feast.

Then the grand finale– the Rally of the Nation. The arena is lit up to disclose Éire seated on her throne in the centre of the ground. She is surrounded by representative of arts, culture, learning, commerce and justice, industry and agriculture– the nation is at peace.

Suddenly there is a flash and a loud noise– the sound of distant strife. Éire springs to her feet and calls on her sons to rally to her defence. In come her armies from the four winds, from the ancient Gaels to the present day– they march as one shoulder to shoulder.

They gather around Éire’s throne and with pride she looks over the ranks back through the centuries, memories of victory and glory mixed with the agony of defeat. As in the past, the armies answer her call and so they shall in the future.

And so a glorious pageant concluded that September evening of 1935– the soldiers stiffened to salute as the drums and bugles called them. The National Anthem sounded out around the arena.

September 1935 was a good year for Dublin. The military tattoo was spectacular and that same month the new Theatre Royal opened its doors on September 23rd.

If you had a few bob to spare, you could treat yourself to the new Ford V8 Touring Saloon, pictured above, for the modest cost of £270!

That was September 1935– a good month to be Irish.