Dulcimer Dreams by Brian Leach

Traditional Irish music on hammered dulcimer.

The Dulcimer

From it’s humble beginnings in Persia a thousand years ago, the hammered dulcimer spread across Eurasia reaching Ireland by the 12th Century. Eventually it evolved into the modern piano.

I first encountered the instrument under informal tuition from Master Li Yunhe while studying at the Cork School of Music. I quickly set about building my own smaller version and thus a new fascination took hold of me.

Since then I have happened upon the descendants of the great player Andy Dowling on a turf cutting expedition in Tipperary; played a double dulcimer session with the incredible Barry Carroll in the Cobblestone, Dublin; held a beautiful dulcimer called ‘Mo Chara’ made by the late Michael O’Shea and performed on three continents with the inspirational Lisa O’Neill.

In all these adventures the haunting, enthralling, mesmerising sound of the dulcimer has led the way.

The Music

The Song of the Chanter was the first tune I learned in the Cork Pipers Club while studying the uilleann pipes. McGillarney’s came from an LP of ‘Na Filí’ borrowed from my godmother Elsa Warren. Lisa O’Neill introduced me to the family of Margaret Barry in County Down where I learned her composition, The Strayaway Child, from Eóin Barry. Ciara Hayes taught me Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó, a song of love and loss which resonates with the story of the mythical cow, Bó Finne, and the cultivation and colonisation of Ireland.

Úna Ní Fhlannagáin introduced me to the beautiful Molly Saint George, written by harper Thomas Connellan in the 17th Century. One tune, Better Text Zoe, was written by me while on tour in England many years ago. Jacky Tar I got from the Townsends, and the rest I must have picked up from Jason Turk or my friends at the Gables, Sin é, or Spailpín Fánach trad sessions.

Here’s to finding many more and keeping the rare tradition of the Irish hammered dulcimer alive!

Many thanks to Joe Garvey, Mark Heffernan, Fran and Kev Leach, Claire Leadbitter, John Byrne, Rita O’Shea, Olan O’Brien, Stano, Larry Cosgrave, Jason Turk, the Barry’s, Pat Dowling, Barry Carroll, Greg Knowles, Lisa O’Neill, and Master Li.

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