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Ever Since joining a drumming club in May
2000 and becomming interested in drumming and fifing i had always
thought that some day i would like to own my very own drum. So
the word was put about. Old drums in good condition are hard to
come by and as time went on i started to think that my dream
would remain ... just a dream.
Just before christmas and quite out of the blue word came to our treasurer that a drum was up for sale in East Belfast. Now a good West Belfast man like me knows only to well that the only decent thing that ever came out of the East was a No. 16 City Bus. Setting that aside the chairman and i went to view it. We were killed with kindness by the person who owned it, we will call him Adam. Our chairman knew him from his cycling days and his wife and i share a hobby - motorcycle racing. The drum was old and faded. Adam told us he had bought her second hand in Ballymena in 1970. Quick as a flash our chairman produced one of his many photograph albums and managed to turn up several snaps of Adam drumming. We fell in love with the drum and bought it, next we took the drum to Dennis Morrow to get his opinion on her. "Red Oak, single piece shell, no woodworm, needs new brace hoops and could do with a new set of heads". The brace hoops and flesh hoops were ordered from Dennis and a new set of heads were ordered from Tommy Louden at a drumming match in Conlig. The old drum looked jaded she needed a transfusion to breathe new life into her and restore her to her former glory.  Many a
long night was spent sanding and buffing the old button polish
off her. It took weeks of preparation but eventually she was
ready for her new coat or five! Five coats of Danish Oil were
applied with a light sanding in between and finally a buff up to
bring up the sheen.
We were now ready to go, phone calls were made and the drum was to be built on Monday 9th June 2003 in the Golden Jubilee month of the Queen's Coronation. It was now over to the experts, Robert and Trevor. The parts were assembled in Conlig Hall on our drumming night.  The next
stage was to check the mouth hoops to ensure they were smooth so
that they would not cut into the heads when they were tightened.
Whilst this was being done other members began to partially lace
the brace hoops in readiness to receive the shell and heads.
  The
heads were checked for holes and powdered ready for setting on
the shell, however those two she goats had other ideas and proved
more troublesome than they were when walking about the field.
ISN'T SHE A BEAUTY
 The Drum
was then painted and i was able to name her after my preceptory
"ROSE of SHARON" she was dedicated at Conlig Hall and is
now my pride and joy. The fulfillment of my dream and probably
the only drum to proudly be associated with the Royal Black
Institution.
 ,   a few links to further your knowledge on
Drumming
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