What does the name Bodhrn mean and how is it pronounced?
The Bodhrn which takes its name from the Irish word bodhar meaning ‘deafening’ or ‘haunting’ is one of Ireland’s oldest instruments and can be traced back as far as the 14th century where it is mentioned in Rosa Angelica a medical text of the time. Bodhrn is pronounced Bow-Rawn. You could consider yourself a Bodhrnai instead of just a Bodhrn player – it is pronounced ‘bow-rawn-ee’. The Bodhran falls into the category of a Frame Drum. It is made from a circlet of wood and upon which is stretched a treated in most cases, goatskin.
