The bodhran is an Irish frame drum made up of a wooden frame with goatskin stretched across one side.

Bodhrans have become an integral component of Irish Traditional Music and are played with great variation across genres and styles. Bodhran players such as Sean O Riada, Peadar Mercier (of The Chieftains), Christy Moore of Planxty and John Joe Kelly have introduced innovative playing techniques.

The History

Recently, the bodhran has gone from being used solely for religious rituals to becoming the centerpiece of Irish music. Much of this evolution can be credited to Sean O’Riada who added it as part of Ceoltoiri Chualann in the 1960s.

Before that time, the bodhran was played as part of the traditional Saint Stephen’s Day ritual known as Wren Hunting. This ancient celtic midwinter celebration commemorates how St Stephen was betrayed while hiding in a bush by an animal chattering constantly and so to pay its debt of betrayal; these animals would then be hunted down and killed as penance.

Since the 1970s, bodhran players have evolved rapidly with regards to style and innovation. Prominent examples are Robin Morton from Boys of the Lough; Peadar Mercier of The Chieftains; Christy Moore of Planxty and De Dannan’s Johnny McDonagh are notable bodhran players known for introducing new techniques often by employing innovative bodhran makers and tippermakers.

The Sound

The Bodhran is an extraordinarily versatile drum that can elicit many different emotions, from sharp urgent beats to melodious ringing ones, depending on how much pressure is applied under its skin. When played by an experienced player, its tones can even convey sobs, laughter or martial calls for action!

The term bodhran derives from Irish bohar (deafness). Though its exact source remains uncertain, its appearance in Gaelic language as late eighteenth or early nineteenth century vocabulary suggests the drum was part of traditional Irish music at that point.

In the past, people used their bare hands to beat drums; nowadays a stick called a cipin is most often employed instead. A good length for such an instrument should range between the performer’s outstretched thumb and outstretched baby finger of their hand.

The Look

Modern bodhrans come in various shapes and finishes. Circular versions covered with goatskin are most common; there are also rectangular and square models. A crosspiece may also be present within the frame and four to five jingles may also be inserted into slots on either end for enhanced sound production.

Peadar Mercier, Christy Moore from Planxty’s Planxty band, Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh from De Dannan and John Joe Kelly from Flook were instrumental in developing modern-sounding bodhrans during the 1970s by applying pressure underside of skin with different degrees to produce different tones ranging from urgent taps to melodious ringing beats.

Learning the bodhran requires great concentration and patience, yet any professional bodhran player’s performance demonstrates its beauty. While becoming an experienced bodhran player may take years of practice, be gentle with yourself if mistakes arise in the beginning stages.

The Mechanics

The bodhran is a flat drum measuring 14″-18″, typically constructed of goat or calf skin stretched over a wooden hoop frame. Resembling an over-sized tambourine without its bells and jingles, the instrument is played using a stick called a beater held by its player against one leg of the drum.

Early bodhrans were often noisy and their sounds were often murky, yet gradually they improved as the skin hand dampening process improved, jingles disappeared, and playing technique was refined by players such as Peadar Mercier, Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh, and John Joe Kelly.

Now, the bodhran has become an integral part of Irish music both concert halls and homes alike. If you want to learn how to play the bodhran, be sure to listen to professional players carefully and copy how they emphasize and ornament natural rhythms of tunes. Getting good at any musical instrument requires practice – and this applies equally for playing the bodhran!

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