The Queensland Irish Association Pipe Band (QIAPB) is a social band of amateur pipers and drummers from a range of backgrounds and levels of experience. We play under the leadership of Pipe Major Bruce Grice, Pipe Sergeant Stuart McLeod and Drum Sergeant Colin (Buzz) Ennis.

QIAPB wears Ancient Urquhart tartan as part of our iconic green uniform.

The current band has around 35 active members, with several other social members who wear the green on special occasions or trips away.

Check out our calendar for current information about upcoming rehearsals and gigs.

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Festivals and Parades

QIAPB regularly travel to and play in festivals and parades, both in Australia and internationally. Festivals that we regularly attend include:
Overseas trips are part of the fun too. The band has played at the following international locations and festivals over the last few decades:
  • Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France: 1985, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016
  • Rose of Tralee Festival, Ireland: 1998, 2008
  • World Championships, Scotland and Ireland: 1978, 1981, 1985
  • New Zealand: 1988, 1990

Competitions

At the moment QIAPB is mostly a social band but several members take on more practices to prepare March-Strathspey-Reel (MSR) sets and music selections for competitions. Currently we have one Grade 4 band that enters competitions.

The band attends the Maclean Highland Gathering annually at Easter and sometimes plays at other local competitions such as the Brisbane Boys College Highland Gathering competition held annually in March.

In the past QIAPB was far more competitive, sometimes with two or three bands at the same time. For a time in the 1980s this included two Grade 1 bands.  Read our history for more information.