From his small workshop in Burk’s Falls, Russell Duke creates some of the world’s best bodhran drums.
Duke detailed how drumming came naturally to him, “I’ve been playing drums since I can remember, and I’m absolutely obsessed with percussion. I’ve been in bands since I was a kid, and I’ve played every type of drum you can imagine.”
Including bodhran drums, of course.
Pronounced bore-on (rhymes with moron), the bodhran is a traditional Irish drum originally used by clans as a battle drum to set the marching beat. These days, it is featured prominently in Celtic and East Coast music and finds a spot amongst many other genres. They are hand-held drums, about 14 to 20 inches wide and around 6 inches deep, played with a wooden stick.
Watch the video below to see the drum in action, courtesy of the Celtic Heritage Foundation.
When Duke was still in high school in his home province of Newfoundland, he bought his first bodhran drum. However, the drum’s quality didn’t thrill him, and he vowed to his brother that he could make a better one.
So, he did. That’s how it started. From there, Duke never stopped, and he’s nearing 30 years of making drums.
As time marched on Duke moved to Ontario. He became a cabinet maker before he became an OPP officer and settled in Burk’s Falls to protect and serve. He has a little shop in his garage where you’ll find him in his spare hours handcrafting his drums. Duke says he never tires of it, “And I’ve made thousands and thousands of drums.”
At one point in the early days of his drum making, Duke thought about pursuing it full-time. See, after making that first bodhran, it didn’t take long before Duke was creating some very high-quality wares. People wanted what he produced. They were in demand.
He spoke with musicians and countless drummers to hear their thoughts and put all of that knowledge and feedback into his creations. He brought some to Just Drums – the famous drum store in Toronto – and the owner made an order on the spot.
The early days were looking good, and before long, distributors were talking with Duke, wanting to put his bodhrans in stores across Canada. Then offers came to be distributed throughout North America, then the world.
However, when it came time to sign, Duke had some reservations, and there was one condition he needed to have honoured, which the distribution company was unwilling to accommodate.
Duke’s drum company’s name has always been Bridget Drums. Duke explained, “I named it after my mother. In Irish it means power and strength, Bridget. They wanted to remove the Bridget name, and I refused to do it.”
Duke recalled, “They thought I was crazy for not doing it.” However, he wanted to stay true to himself and honour his mom, so he did just that. He doesn’t regret not signing those papers. Life and work are good, and he still sells his drums around the world, albeit on a smaller scale.
This allows him to maintain the highest quality as well since each drum continues to be fully crafted by his hands. Plus, he knows similar deals will be waiting for him again if he ever chooses to go that route, say after retiring from service.
Those are future roads not yet travelled, and for now, Duke continues to take custom orders for his Bodhran drums and build them in his spare time within his home shop. He said, “I build them for the player, and I send them photos of the build throughout, so it’s a totally custom experience.”
Duke uses birch for most drums, and applies veneers to the shells, depending on what the customer prefers.
After almost 30 years making bodhrans, the process still brings deep satisfaction, a sense of Zen-like peace while he’s crafting his wares. “When I’m building, if I get a little frustrated, I will stop. Because for me, I don’t want to put that energy into that drum.”
That positive drum energy has travelled throughout the world. Duke has seen his drums appear in televised concerts and on YouTube videos. Often, bands and musicians will send him photos of his drums being used in concert. He sends a lot of drums to Texas and California, he added.
With his drums in demand, and with thousands of them being played around the world, Duke explained, “Word of mouth is a big thing. People see the drums and they’re like ‘Where the heck did you get that?’”
“Next thing you know they’re ordering a bunch of drums, and it just kind of spreads like that.”
To check out the wares of Burk’s Falls’ very own drum maker to the world, you can visit Duke’s website for Bridget Drums at bodhranca.wordpress.com.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.