Known in Irish as a bodhran (pronounced bow), these beautiful drums make perfect Irish gifts and can often be found hanging from walls in bars and pubs!

During the 1960s resurgence of Irish traditional music, the bodhran enjoyed great popularity among virtuoso players like Peadar Mercier, John Joe Kelly and Johnny McDonagh who pioneered new playing techniques.

Origins

There is little available information regarding the history of bodhrans. Resembling a large tambourine without its jangling parts and having a deep and somber sound, they may have evolved from working instruments into musical ones or vice versa.

At one time, bodhrans were typically played using only the performer’s bare hand; nowadays however, beaters known as cipins are usually used. A good cipin should match the length of your hand from thumb to outstretched baby finger; when both ends of cipin are used together this style is known as Kerry style.

Bodhran players like Sean O Riada, Mel Mercier and John Joe Kelly have come up with inventive techniques for playing the bodhran that has proliferated into contemporary Irish music. Additionally, innovative tippermakers have contributed greatly to its development and enhancement.

Materials

The Bodhran is an Irish frame drum resembling a tambourine without its jangling parts, created from simple animal skins attached to wooden frames and popular during the folk revival in the 1960s.

Electrical tape can often help bodhran owners reduce edge loading and stabilize tuning by covering their drum’s rim or even both skin and rim with it. This also serves to lower “edge loading”, helping maintain stable tuning on their instrument.

A drum is usually played with one or both hands using various forms of music to generate sounds ranging from hard beats to soft slides. Sharper sounds can be created using the heel of one hand while soft rhythms come from palm rubbing against palm creases. Furthermore, sticks or other implements may also be used to strike it in various rhythmic patterns.

Techniques

Since the folk music resurgence of the 1960s, bodhrans have enjoyed widespread use in Irish traditional music and are widely utilized by various musicians. Traditionally used as an accompaniment instrument, its main objective being matching its rhythm with that of each song played alongside it.

Performers hold their drum upright on their thighs while utilizing a tool known as a tipper in their dominant hand (or right if right-handed). Players use this instrument to touch goatskin heads with variations in sound from loud beats to softer melodies. Advanced techniques involve quickly alternating tipper strikes for complex rhythms and accents – creating artistic expression on this stage! The Bodhran also serves as an outlet for artistic expression.

Styles

Bodhran drums provide an artful canvas within Irish music, providing both traditional and modern artists an outlet to express themselves artistically through Irish music. A versatile instrument, its recognition has grown rapidly since Sean O Riada reintroduced it to his ensemble Ceoltoiri Chualann during the 1960s.

Peadar Mercier and Johny Ringo McDonagh advanced the bodhran beyond its humble origins through innovative use of battery-powered beaters (cipin) to achieve different effects, as well as various playing techniques to achieve different sounds. Nowadays, artists such as John Joe Kelly and Tommy Hayes continue this incredible Irish drum tradition and push its capabilities further than ever.

Recordings

Aimee Farrell Courtney is an emerging Irish bodhran player who has quickly made her mark worldwide as one of the premier bodhran players. She has collaborated on tours and recordings with Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O’Flynn and Danu.

Bodhrans can be heard tinkling away in many Irish music recordings and are frequently employed as rhythm instruments in ensemble settings. Traditionally the performer would use his/her hand to beat on the drum while nowadays stick are often employed.

Johnny McDonagh of De Dannan is widely considered a pioneer of bodhran playing, having pioneered numerous techniques and introduced it into modern musical styles. Tommy Hayes from Stocktons Wing stands out as an influential player, having employed various playing styles and instruments on his instrument.

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