Bandmaster, born near Dublin, Ireland. Having been taught music and the cornet by his town's regimental bandmaster, he toured with the band in Canada in 1846. Several years later he went to Massachusetts where he founded Gilmore's Band. During the Civil War he headed all the Union army's bands in the Department of Louisiana, and it was in New Orleans (1864) that he presented the first of his monster concerts. He continued to organize these jubilees, with thousands of instrumentalists, singers, various bells, and cannons, while touring the USA, Canada, and Europe with his own band. He also composed many band numbers, dance melodies, and popular songs, including the famous When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again (1863). He died while conducting his band at the St Louis Exposition.
Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (25 December 1829 – 24 September 1892) was an Irish-born composer and bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848. Whilst serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, Gilmore wrote the lyrics to the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", the tune he took from an old Irish antiwar folk song, "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye".
Gilmore was born in Ballygar, Co Galway on Christmas Day in 1829. With the Salem Band, Gilmore performed at the 1857 inauguration of President James Buchanan. In 1858 he founded "Gilmore's Band", and at the outset of war the band enlisted with the 24th Massachusetts Volunteers, accompanying General Burnside to South Carolina. After the temporary discharge of bands from the field, Governor Andrew of Massachusetts entrusted Gilmore with the task of re-organising military music-making, and General Banks created him bandmaster general.
When peace resumed, Gilmore was asked to organise a celebration, which took place at New Orleans. Grateful Bostonians presented Gilmore with medals and cash, but in 1873 he anticipated Babe Ruth, by moving to New York, as bandmaster of the 22nd Regiment. Gilmore took this band on acclaimed tours of Europe. It was back on home soil, preparing an 1892 musical celebration of the quatercentenary of Christopher Columbus' voyage of discovery, that Gilmore collapsed and died at St. Louis.
In many ways Gilmore can be seen as the principal figure in 19th Century American music. He set up "Gilmore's Concert Garden", which became Madison Square Garden.
Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1970
Lyrics
When Johnny comes marching home again,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will cheer and the boys will shout
The ladies they will all turn out
And we'll all feel gay,
When Johnny comes marching home.
The old church bell will peal with joy
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The village lads and lassies say
With roses they will strew the way,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
Get ready for the Jubilee,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The laurel wreath is ready now
To place upon his loyal brow
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
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