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Introducing Bodhrán

A Group Course for Beginners

Next course starts 15 April 2024.


‘The course was amazing, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned in such a short time. We have a fantastic teacher, knowledgeable and happy to introduce us to different types and flavours of music. He was very encouraging, and all in all it was a great experience.’
– R. McAdams

‘Great teacher, full of knowledge, who made the classes fun and incorporated extra teaching tools to go above and beyond.’
– T. Stephenson

More Information

Course Description

Introducing BodhránThe bodhrán, a wood and goatskin drum beaten with a wooden stick or beater, is the heartbeat of traditional Irish music. Designed for absolute beginners and available in both in-school and online versions, Waltons New School of Music’s Introducing Bodhrán course has taught hundreds of people how to play this great Irish instrument. By the end of the course, you will have the confidence to play a variety of Irish traditional rhythms and accompany other instruments, both solo and in sessions.

The course includes the following elements:

  • Holding the bodhrán
  • Holding the beater
  • Basic strokes and variations
  • Reel and jig patterns
  • Other traditional rhythms (polkas, hornpipes, slip jigs, etc.)
  • Left-hand technique and varying the pitch of your bodhrán
  • Bodhrán care and maintenance

Questions about the course?

CONTACT US

or call us on (01) 478 1884.


In-School & Online Tuition

We offer two versions of this course, in-school, which takes place in the New School, and online, which takes place in your own home.

For both versions of the course, participants will need to have bodhráns (ideally at least 16-inch and tuneable) and beaters for classes and practise. (See the Recommended Instruments tab for a list of recommended bodhráns, which are available from Waltons Music at discounts for enrolled students.)


In-School Version

The health and safety of both students and staff at the New School is of the utmost importance to us, and we have made a number of changes to the school, its equipment and our policies to make in-school tuition safe during the time of COVID-19. These include:

  • Perspex screens in every classroom.
  • Installation of HEPA air filtration/purification units where necessary.
  • Antiseptic dispensers available throughout the school.
  • Cleaning and disinfection of both classroom instruments and furniture between lessons and classes.
  • Regular cleaning of public spaces.

See our COVID-19 Safety Policy page for more information on what we have done, as well as the protocols we expect all in-school students and visitors to follow.

Finally, should government directives require the school to physically close temporarily, all in-school courses will move online for the duration of the closure and there will be no interruption of tuition.


Online Version

In addition to bodhráns and beaters, online course participants will need:

  • An internet-connected laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. (A laptop or computer with webcam and microphone is recommended, as it will have the largest picture.)
  • Ideally, internet speed at least 1.5Mb per second. (You can test your speed using Measurement Lab’s Speed Test.)
  • Headphones or earbuds, if possible.¹
  • Free Zoom software or app.²
  1. Waltons Music has Zoom headphones and microphones that are ideal for online music tuition and are available at 5% discounts for students enrolled in the course. If you would like to obtain a discount, please contact Waltons with your instrument choice and include a scan or photo of your course payment receipt.
  2. If you haven’t learned music with Zoom before, please see our printable Zoom for Students information sheet for information on how to download and set up Zoom for music tuition.

Before the course begins, the teacher will email you a Zoom meeting invitation that includes a meeting ID and password to join the first class.


This course covers Stage 1 of the New School’s ten-stage system of student progress and assessment, which culminates in a teaching or performing qualification (Stage 10) should the student progress that far. Participants who successfully complete the course can be issued with a certificate of completion of Stage 1. If you are taking the course, please let the school office know if you would like this certificate. See About Our Stage System for more information.


Have you enrolled in this course?
Download our Introductory Handout
for tips on how to get the most from it.


Introducing Bodhrán is one of the New School’s group courses. We also offer private bodhrán lessons for students of all ages and skill levels. See Traditional • Folk • World Instruments Tuition for more information.

Techniques Covered

A video demonstration of some techniques covered in the course:

Éamonn Galldubh

Éamonn GalldubhAn All-Ireland champion with a teaching diploma from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, as well as Masters degree in Music Performance with First Class Honours, Éamonn began playing traditional music on the tin whistle at the age of eight, moving on to the uilleann pipes (he learned traditional piping technique from Dublin piper Ivan Goff and Mick O’Brien), flute, whistle, guitar, ukulele and saxophone. While Irish music is his first love, he has pursued an interest in other music forms and received a jazz performance diploma in saxophone from Newpark Music Centre. Éamonn has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including Clannad, Riverdance, Moya Brennan, Cara Dillon, Damien Dempsey, Ragus, Niamh Ní Charra, Celtic Woman, Hazel O’Connor, Rua, Druid Theatre and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, as well as writing and recording his own material. His most recent project is the musical collective Jiggy, featuring Éamonn (uilleann pipes), as well as Daire Bracken (fiddle), Aoife Kelly (fiddle), Éamonn de Barra (flute & whistle), Robbie Harris (percussion), Niwel Tsumbu (guitar & vocals), Yoshi Izumi (bass) and DJ Jack (decks). Éamonn is passionate about music education and takes a practical approach that encourages pupils to learn by engaging with the music of their favourite artists. Playing along with recordings is used as a means to illustrate theoretical concepts and to learn about structure and rhythm. He has taught a range of instruments – including Irish flute, bodhrán, guitar, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and ukulele – both with the New School and for our Outreach Programme, as well as our Irish Music Tasters, since 1999, and he also teaches our Introducing Ukulele for Adults course.

John Sweeney

John SweeneyJohn comes from a musical family and has been studying, playing and teaching guitar, as well as bodhrán, tin whistle and a range of Irish traditional instruments, for over thirty years. He works in many different styles, including blues, rock, jazz, traditional and flamenco, and he has performed and recorded with a number of Irish groups, gigging extensively throughout Ireland, Canada, the UK, the US and Spain. He began teaching in 1988 at the Scarborough School of Guitar in Toronto, Canada, where he also studied composition and flatpick technique. He has also studied flamenco guitar with Miguel Escudero Lopez in Seville, Spain and traditional music at St. Enda’s Folk Park & Museum, and he continues to develop techniques in a range of guitar styles. John was the only guitar player selected by the renowned vocal innovator and improviser Bobby McFerrin to perform with him in the National Concert Hall for Bobby McFerrin Meets Ireland (2013), a unique collaboration for the Waltons World Masters Series between Bobby and a small, select group of Irish performers – chosen to represent the creativity, tradition and spirit of Ireland and selected through an Ireland-wide audition process. He has taught at the New School since 2003 and also teaches our Introducing Guitar for Adults, Introducing Guitar for Teens, Acoustic Blues Guitar Basics and Trad Guitar Basics courses, as well as guitar and bodhrán courses for our Outreach Programme and Music at Work Programme.

Reviews • Testimonials

‘I liked the relaxed atmosphere and encouragement. Really enjoyed and looked forward to attending each week.’
– E. Burke

‘Great people, great teacher, great fun.’
– D. Duggan

‘John is a fantastic teacher. I have no musical talent, and I somehow came out of this 10-week course being able to play a few reels and jigs, and having really enjoyed the course.’
– R. Egan

‘Great teacher!
– C. Fagan

‘I recently took the Introducing Bodhrán course and I loved it! John was a great teacher and created a really fun atmosphere in the class. He has a lot of knowledge of music in general. Looking forward to continuing with the bodhrán. Very good value for money too!
– K. Filan

‘I found the course great, as I had never played before and was not at all familiar with the instrument. We were eased into playing comfortably.’
– D. Flynn

‘These classes were brilliant. I can now play Riverdance on the bodhrán! John was such an inspiring teacher and his passion was infectious. I would highly recommend Waltons. Thank you.’
– L. Kelly

‘Fantastic course – really helped me to gain confidence in playing.’
– L. Larkin

‘Highly enjoyable course. Would definitely recommend.’
– J. Ryan

‘The Introducing Bodhrán course was great! John is an excellent teacher and he is really passionate about music. I enjoyed the classes and also discovered some Irish trad music while learning. Highly recommend it. Thanks!’
– F. Seque


Have you taken – or are you taking – this course? We would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to give us your feedback in a brief online questionnaire about it.

FEEDBACK

2023-2024 Third Term
Course Schedule & Fee

9 weeks, 15 April – 24 June 2024
(No classes on 6 May & 3 June – Bank Holidays)
Mondays 6.30 – 7.30 pm
Teacher: John Sweeney
Course Type: In-School

Tuition Fee: €190

Enrolment

Enrolment for this course requires a completed Enrolment Form and full payment of the tuition fee. Places are limited to eight and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date of enrolment. Many of our group courses fill in advance of their start dates, and early enrolment is recommended.

ENROL NOW


Purchasing this course as a gift?
Please complete a Gift Certificate Booking Form.

BOOK NOW


Questions about the course?

CONTACT US

or call us on (01) 478 1884.

Recommended Instruments

Waltons Pro5 BodhránThere are many bodhráns, in many different sizes, available, but the following instruments and covers – all available from Waltons Music – are recommended for their quality, portability and affordability:

These bodhráns and covers can be purchased from Waltons Music at 10% discounts for students enrolled in the course. If you would like to obtain a discount, please contact Waltons with your instrument choice and include a scan or photo of your course payment receipt.

CONTACT WALTONS

What happens after the course?

Two weeks before the end of each Introducing course, participants will be given options for continuing their tuition with the New School if they would like to do so. Although an ‘improvers’ or continuation course cannot be scheduled on the same day/time as the Introducing course, one can be arranged if enough course participants would like to continue and the teacher has timetable availability or there is timetable availability with another teacher. Participants can also continue their tuition with private (one-to-one) lessons or ‘partner’ lessons with another class member. (See Tuition Options – Private • Partner • Small Group Lessons.) We are happy to discuss these options with you.

Trad Slow Sessions

Trad Slow SessionsParticipants in this course are also welcome to attend our popular Trad Slow Sessions. These are traditional Irish music sessions in all ways except one: the tempo. We play the session tunes at a slower than normal pace (often less than half the speed), so that beginning and intermediate players can more easily learn the tunes and join in the session. Trad Slow Sessions take place once a month on Friday evenings in the school.

See our Trad Slow Sessions page for more information, our tune list, printable sheet music for all tunes and 2022-2023 dates.

Bodhrán on YouTube

Introducing Bodhrán
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