The Cowboy Band Marches Through Ireland

While the Hardin-Simmons hiking club, HGT, braved national parks across the American southwest and the Baptist Student Ministry hosted an Abilene-based mission trip, our World-Famous Cowboy Band spent their spring break performing, sightseeing, and marching abroad in Ireland.

Following a jam-packed itinerary, the band explored the lush Irish countryside, majestic Cliffs of Moher, a variety of medieval castles and cathedrals, and numerous Irish towns such as Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, and Dublin.

With St. Patrick’s Day falling within the week of spring break, the Cowboy Band had the opportunity to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the streets of Dublin, as well as the St. Patrick’s Festival of Kilkenny, bringing their lively HSU spirit and Texas traditions for all to see.

“Performing for the city of Kilkenny and the dozens of adoring children there was one of the most memorable experiences during my time in Ireland,” shared Esther Flowers ’25. “Performing for people around the world is what makes the band so unique; our performing style and display of Texan culture for all people to see truly give value to our band.”

This trip was a significant step for the Cowboy Band as it was their first international trip since the early 2000s. “The primary purpose of this trip was to expose the students in the band to a different culture and to represent HSU on the world stage again,” stated Bill Harden, Director of Bands at HSU. “It’s always a joy traveling with students, many of whom have never been on a plane. I traveled on the 1984 and 1986 trips with the Cowboy Band and the trips were life-changing for me.”

Read more about the history of the Cowboy Band and the significance of this trip in the Range Rider.