McNeillstown Pipe Band is based near Portglenone, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and was founded around 1946/47. The band grew out of the strong local pipe band culture of the Bann Valley area and became one of Northern Ireland’s best-known competitive bands. Its long-serving Pipe Major Frank Andrews joined the band as an 11-year-old piper in 1957 and went on to serve it for more than 60 years.

Under Frank Andrews, who became Pipe Major in 1969, McNeillstown made its competition debut at Ballyclare in 1972, where it placed third. The band climbed steadily through the grades during the 1970s, winning the Grade 2 World Championship in 1978 and the Ulster Championship in 1980, before reaching Grade 1 in 1981.

During the 1980s, McNeillstown was one of the most consistent Grade 1 bands in Northern Ireland, competing strongly alongside other major County Antrim names such as Cullybackey and Graham Memorial. Today, McNeillstown remains an important name in Ulster pipe band history.