12/01/2026
๐ Meet ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง! ๐
Les has been playing music for over 47 years. Heโs a talented drummer, He also plays bodhrรกn, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and sings. He got his first drum kit at 16 and is now 63, bringing decades of experience to every performance.
Heโs gigged extensively across Northern Ireland and beyond. Les currently plays drums with ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ (folk-influenced), and ๐๐๐, a large multi-instrumental band that has raised an incredible amount of money for charity. He also plays guitar and sings in a duo called ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐.
Previously, Les was a member of ๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, writing and recording original material, winning the Smithwickโs Rock & Pop Award, and representing Ulster in the all-Ireland Bose Sunday World Band Slam, Heโs shared stages with acts like ๐๐ก๐ ๐
๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฒ, and ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฒ, Other bands heโs played with include ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ณ๐๐ฅ, and ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ.
Les started drumming very young, using his grandmotherโs pouffe and wooden spoons as his first snare. He loves how rhythm is everywhere and how music can completely immerse you.
As a teacher, Les makes lessons fun and encouraging. He guides students toward grades where appropriate but believes reading music isnโt essential. Many great drummers never did.
If youโre thinking about drumming, Les says: ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ง, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญโฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ! ๐งก
