The South African Irish Regimental Pipes and Drums is a formidable competition band, and unique among pipe bands in South Africa today - as they have only ever been under the command of three Pipe Majors: Pipe Majors Symons; Mulinder and Craig Herwill, who still leads the Band today.

Today's band goes back to 1939, when the Irish Battalion was formed under the leadership of Pipe Major Fred ('Pipey') Symons.

The Regimental Pipe Band was dissolved in 1942, following the de-activation of the Irish Regiment in South Africa. After the war, Pipe Major Symons assumed the same leading role in the Irish Association Pipe Band, and was a driving force in the re-emergence of the Regimental Pipe Band in 1977.

Two bands then existed within the compass of the Irish regiment, comprising musicians of both the Association and the Regiment.