In 2002, after discussing the idea of a starting pipe band at Millan and Fiona MacPhearson’s one evening the Quigley Highlander Pipes and Drums band (QHPD) was formed, named in honour of the hamlet Quigley’s Corners, now known as Lochiel.
That very same year the QHPD was proudly led onto the Glengarry Highland Games field for the massed bands by JT MacKenzie. For all the band members it was an incredible dream come true, the opportunity to march with 1,500 other pipers and drummers and to debut their tartan in honour of JT MacKenzie. The honour of our first win had to wait until 2007, the top spot in Grade 5 in Almonte at the North Lanark Highland Games. It took 5 years and the win was celebrated all over Glengarry county. Thank you for that. Our second and third win in the Grade 5 March Medley was also at the North Lanark Highland Games.
For close to 20 years we have been a community-based band contributing to Celtic culture in Glengarry and beyond and we are one of the proud duty bands for the Glengarry Highland Games. We volunteer gladly for Legion activities, Remembrance Day, Kirkin of the Tartan, the Williamstown and Vankleek Hill fairs, the Dunvegan Harvest Festival, lawn socials, community ceilidhs and at the annual Maxville Manor Christmas performance. The Quigleys also entertain and compete in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Upper New York state, at the Battle of Plattsburgh Commemoration Weekend, the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival and the Antigonish Highland Games (finished third in the Medley contest) and we made some great friends, including Mrs. Quigley!
There have been some official trips as well, two to Scotland that included competing at the World Pipe Band Championships and performing at Dunnotar Castle. Also, on two different occasions, we have joined with the Honolulu Police (and Fire) Pipe Band and the Honolulu Pipe Band to commemorate the 70th and 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbour. The first included two parades with a combined 120,000 people in attendance!
Then in 2018, we opened for Rod Stewart in Montreal, with that came backstage passes and some prime seating for the concert, our thanks to the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band for arranging this opportunity.