IF YOU ARE on TikTok I would wager that you have seen at least one of Helen Drumm’s videos. 

The glitzy gift store owner is not afraid to have a bit of fun and doesn’t take herself too seriously online.

With over 65,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, Drumm regularly posts clips promoting her (often quirky) gift products, ending every video with a wink and reminder of where to find her: “It all happens here, at sound Quality Gifts, Monaghan…Ireland.”

Sound Quality Gifts’ TikTok account first went viral with a video of Drumm promoting one of her exclusive ‘rainshader’ umbrellas.

“That put us on the map,” Drumm told The Journal today, “We’re the only shop in the world with it.”

Drumm also clocked up serious views (1.7m) last summer with a video of herself and her staff, some looking a little uncomfortable it has to be said, all dolled up in pink ready to go see the blockbuster Barbie film.

Drum’s business acumen is unquestionable, with the Monaghan woman easily tapping into social media trends and using them as a way to market and drive traffic to her store. 

Her videos often involve singing and dancing of some sort, most usually jiving. 

She’s also no stranger to visits from stars in the country music industry, Nathan Carter, Declan Nerney and Ireland’s ‘first lady of country music’ Susan McCann, to name a few. 

Such is her influence that Drumm had not one, but two political party leaders drop into her store yesterday while out on the campaign trail.

Taoiseach Simon Harris and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald were both clearly hoping for a viral moment of their own when they paid her a visit just hours apart. 

In clips posted on social media, McDonald and Harris are both seen to receive a warm welcome from Drumm.

Harris exclaimed “The TikTok Queen!” as the pair embraced in a warm hug before Drumm asked the Taoiseach to jive with her. 

“Ah you’re not bad at all,” she said as they ended their dance to applause from staff and Harris’s campaign team.

“Sound Quality Gifts for all your sound quality needs,” Harris told the TV cameras that were trailing him, whatever that means. 

Just a few hours later, Drumm’s account uploaded another jiving video, this time with Mary Lou McDonald who can be heard joking: “The things I will do for a vote.”

“It’s an open door policy in my shop,” Drumm told The Journal, adding that both politician’s teams had checked with her earlier in the day if it was okay for them to stop by. 

“I’m not linked to any politician, I’ve been asked to get into politics by some local people and political parties but I think I’m better off where I am entertaining the people.”

Having been in business for almost 39 years, diversifying from just music into gifts during that time, Drumm knows exactly how difficult it is to keep things ticking over.

“I’ve seen three recessions in that time and had to cut my cloth to suit my table,” Drumm said. 

Given this, did she have a particular message for either leader yesterday? 

“Unfortunately because they were both flying I didn’t get the opportunity.

“But I would have told them that it is very important to support small businesses,” Drumm said, adding that people in the locality are also acutely impacted by the cost-of-living, the cost of housing, issues in healthcare and the costs associated with third-level education.

Drumm kept her card close to her chest when it came to her personal view of both politicians, giving nothing away. 

She didn’t however hold back when it came to assessing their dance skills.

“Mary Lou was in with me before the summer and I’ve seen some improvement since then. Simon though, he needs to visit Monaghan a little more.”