Bodhran

This meme on the Princess of Northumbria’s facebook page reminded me of something that happened many many years ago.

Before Thunderthighs was born we used to take Ferretfingers to the Kingsmen’s practice in the Cumberland Arms on a Wednesday evening; which was the night the Irish session took place. After practice we would have a drink and a chat in the other room before going home.

One evening, soon after he’d started to toddle, Ferretfingers got away.  He slipped through all the legs to, under and behind the bar, then under the bar below the hatch into the session.

I dashed through the door, hallway and other door just in time to see him grab hold of a bodhran leaning on an empty chair; its owner was stood at the hatch waiting to be served.

I managed to get hold of him before he knocked it over or did any damage. 

As I picked him up an old white haired fiddler whispered confidentially in my ear “Don’t let him touch de bodrhan.”

“Oh” I said “is Harvey very precious about his bodhran?”

“No” then with feeling “ but dere’s too many bluddy bodrhan players as it is!”