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What Makes Irish Music so...Irish?

© Lianne Bruynell Lopes

When thinking of the music of Ireland, the harp might come to mind. The image of this lovely sounding instrument is even embossed on the backs of Irish coins. But what about those other instruments heard in Irish dance music like jigs and reels, or the more ballad type airs? Anyone who knows anything about Ireland knows what a tin whistles is, and certainly we've all heard fiddles in traditional Irish pub songs. These are an integral part of Irish music, but there are some instruments that are uniquely Irish and give the music a distinctive sound.

Bodhran

At the heart of Irish dance music is a rhythm that prompts even the most inert feet to dance a jig. The Bodhran (pronounced bow-rawn) is a hand held Irish drum, a close relation to the tambourine but without the jingles, that keeps the beat in many jigs and reels. Surprisingly, the bodhran has not always been considered a musical instrument. The exact date is debated, but only in the latter half of the twentieth century did this drum come to be incorporated in traditional Irish music.

A simple instrument made of a circular wooden base and covered tightly with animal (usually goat) skin, it is believed by some experts that originally the bodhran was used as a husk sifter and grain tray. Through the years, somehow it was discovered to produce a pleasant sound when beaten. At first, the sound was produced with the hand but eventually a small stick, called a cipin (ki-peen), was used to give it a sharper sound. Cipin is the Gaelic word for kindling and probably originates from the fact that a stick of kindling was originally used.

As to the origin of this little drum, there are several theories. The Gaelic word bodhran translated into English is "deaf". In ancient Egypt a drum existed, the "deaf", that closely resembles the bodhran. This leads to the argument that the bodhran originated somewhere in Africa, and made its way into Ireland through Spain. Another argument is that it came with the Celts from Asia as they made their westward move through Europe. Wherever it came from, in Irish culture it was mostly a noise maker until modern times. Mummers used it in mid-winter fertility rite plays. Chieftains in ancient times had their own distinctive cadence or marching tune. When they went out to war, it is easy to believe the bodhran was used to produce this rhythm, and instill fear in the hearts of the enemy.