A Brief History of RAM

by Co Founder , Dermot Mc Ardle

The Piano Studio

As Damien Kerley entered the Piano Studio ( Where founders JPMone and Myself then worked from) with the rubber mat samples it was just like any other day in Ireland, cold and wet. Over the course of the next 20 minutes Kerley would try to sell the gym mats to JP for his club, Clontibret O’Neills, but no deal was done. As I walked Damien back to his van, making small talk, I noticed an object in the back of the van….. Something that resembled the current RAM. 

LET’S GO BACK TO THE NIGHT BEFORE

On Wednesday the 13th of November, 2013, I had sat down at home with the intention of designing a better sandbag. One that would last longer, one that could maybe be used for multiple things, one that could be used in multiple ways. With a Pen, Paper, and laptop, I worked through several ideas, adding handles here and pockets there, researching the most durable materials, and imaging gaelic players training with these sandbags out in the some the coldest, wettest gaelic games pitches in Ireland…. But it was not until the next day when Damien Kerley entered the Piano Studio that RAM was really born

Ideas are easy, but done is all that matters

After the encounter with Damien, the Idea for RAM was born, but making a prototype was the only way we could be sure that the idea would be useful. My initial thought was that it would be as easy to get some local business to make the prototype for us.....After trying many local companies, none were interested, and any that were, were asking extortionate money.....Enter Eamon Hughes. Eamon Hughes was a dedicated, rugged, intelligent, and versatile human being, the type of guy where nothing was ever a problem. He could weld, he could build, he could do carpentry, he had knowledge of moulds, he was the owner of several patents.....he was exactly what JP and myself were looking for.  As Eamon entered the Piano Studio, you straight away got the sense that he was the man, and true to form he informed us that " it shouldn't be too hard". Over the next 10 weeks Eamon singlehandedly built the first machine for making RAMS in a shed at his house. 

{Image of the Original Machine}

THE FIRST RAM

The first RAM was welcomed into the world in January 2014. The exact date escapes me. It was made from locally recycled rubber and local labour, something that we are very proud of, and still do to this day. Eamon and myself spent many cold days experimenting with mixes to ensure that we the right balance of durability and functionality. Eamon died shortly before Christmas in 2015, after fighting a long battle with cancer. We will be for ever grateful to have met a man of such talent and optimism, who inspires us to this day.

{Images of Original RAMs}

TODAY

Today , all the RAMs your see across the world are made in a nearly identical process to the original Of course, we have had to learn how to add weight without compromising on the design, and our most recent innovation, the RAM log has been a game changer for team and group training.

{Image RAM Log}