New York, Feb. 15, 2003.-

David Kincaid, together with friend and Irish traditional music genius John Whelan (featured on most of Kincaid’s album “The Irish Volunteer”), will be seen on the big screen in director Ron Maxwell’s Civil War epic “Gods and Generals,” based on author Jeff Shaara’s book of the same title. Whereas “Gettysburg” -Maxwell’s previous Civil War film- dwelt principally on that pivotal battle of early July, 1863, this film deals with the April 1861 beginning of the war and period leading up to the epic three-day struggle. The film is set for nationwide release Feb. 21, 2003.

One of the film’s outstanding themes is that of the heavy Irish involvement in the conflict, which often tragically pitted them against each other as soldiers of both the Union and the Confederacy. Contacted in July, 2001 by the film’s music producer, David Franco, to offer advice on the subject of Irish music in the American Civil War,

Kincaid provided the arrangement for a period Irish Confederate lyric called “Song of the Rebel Irish” by the film’s producers -actually entitled “Song for the Irish Brigade” by its author, an Irish Confederate known only as "Shamrock" of the "Sumter Rifles," This lyric came with no accompanying music notation or tradtional Irish melody listed (it was common in those days to compose lyrics to well-known melodies), and Kincaid, who had adapted and arranged it a few years before for his upcoming album “The Irish-American’s Song,” had delved into the limitless archives of traditional Irish melodies to find one to fit, eventually landing upon a tune called "Martinmas Time." With a lot of finessing, this melody was gradually made to work with the lyric’s unusual phrasing. Although a composer in his own right, David Kincaid is a staunch believer in the use traditional melodies for such purposes, rather than writing his own –in keeping with the ancient Irish bardic tradition.

The second, and much bigger scene, was that of a Confederate minstrel show, put on for the likes of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee (Robert Duvall) and Stonewall Jackson (Stephen Lang), along with their staffs and hundreds of Rebel troops. The song performed was the Rebel anthem “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” composed by vaudevillian-style performer Harry McCarthy, known as the “Arkansas Comedian,” to the old Irish tune “The Irish Jaunting Car.” David Kincaid, this time on banjo and backing vocals, and John Whelan on button accordion, were teamed up with the 2nd South Carolina String Band -renowned for their talents in conjuring up the sound and spirit of the Southern minstrel show of the Civil War era. The tune was first

Confederate minstrel band, consisting of The 2nd South Carolina String Band (left to right: Bob Beeman, Chris St. Peter, Fred Ewers, Dave Goss, Joe Ewers, Greg Hernandez-far right), with David Kincaid and John Whelan.

David Kincaid, along with Capt. Michael Kraus, Orderly Sgt. Craig Geppert, and other members of Co. I, 116th Reg't PV, Irish Brigade -one of reenacting’s longest standing units- also had the honor of participating in some of the film’s several battle scenes, with Kincaid appearing as a company commander, and Kraus as Brig. General in the 20th Maine’s charge on Marye’s Heights at the battle of Fredericksburg. Also part of Kincaid’s company in the filming was the Wild Geese Today’s own co-editor, Joe Gannon. With 15 years experience as a Civil War reenactor, serving nine years as an NCO, four as an officer, Kincaid found the experience to be one of his most memorable and gratifying.