A Bodhrán Cautionary Tale

…  a true email, that serves as a word of caution for the wise among us.

” …  Well lads I’m sure you were both wondering how our friends would be getting on with their travels around Ireland. I met up with them on Sunday afternoon last for a few tunes in a nice quiet session in Cork City. Well I know you warned me about the kid’s playing, but I didn’t expect it to be that bad. Christ he was beating the daylights out of it and to make matters worse it was one of the deep pan versions that have a deeper tone and therefore can be even louder when hammered.

This went on for quite a while and because they had landed into the sesh ahead of me, they were chatting to Cxx & Sxx (fiddle & banjo) and told them they were waiting for me. So because of this, big Sxx who doesn’t take this sort of shite lightly was holding his tongue coz he thought the kid was a friend of mine. I tried to tell the kid to keep it down a bit, but he just gawked at me with that stupid Gobshite look he has and kept bashin away. Eventually Cxx shouted up at a fella at the bar to come down and play a few tunes on the pipes. Yer man shouted back “Not with that feckin bodhrán I’m not!!!” Shortly after that as it quieted down a bit (and a couple of pints & glasses of wine ingested) Cxx and big Sxx started a beautiful set of reels. Right away, in came the the kid once again, but this time the fiddle player stopped playing and shouted “For feck’s sake, would you give us a chance. Feck’it man you’re too loud. Just stop. For Christ’s sake just stop!” Well mother leaned over and told him to play a bit softer, but that didn’t matter now as he’d taken the hump and was packing up and wanted to leave. They left very shortly afterwards.

I was talking to Sxx after and he wanted to tell the kid to tone the damn thing down but thought I’d get offended and cause a row.

We had a mighty few tunes after they left and there was a wee girl bodhrán player quietly playing in the corner and everyone agreed that she was much better and was given prize place in the session until it ended later on.

It was classic lads. I’m only glad I was there to witness it and I’d say it won’t be the last time it happens to him while he’s here in Ireland either.

Cheers!…”