Hammered Dulcimer: Antrim

Session in Bushmills, Co. Antrim

David was indeed one of a kind & all who play the Dulcimer in Ireland owe him so much, for all the work he did, especially on researching the players, but also in helping to raise the profile of this instrument, here.

I was asked to gather up 3 other regular musicians to form a House Band for the night. They recorded 4 sets of tunes from us, and the one below is the set I played the Dulcimer on. However, all four tracks remain on the Blas Ceoil website. Unfortunately, this iPlayer only works in the UK.

It was great to get a chance to play a set of tunes on the Hammered Dulcimer on TV here, just to show how well this instrument suits Irish Music.

Cheers Dick

Many thanks to Paul Gifford for the following fascinating information. “Dick, there was John Dowling, active in Dublin by 1761. He’s mentioned in my book. I have quite a few more historical references than when I did when I wrote the book. The Ulster King of Arms (or some office like that) even maintained a dulcimer player at official expense from the 1770s to 1790s or so. I don’t have the reference handy at the moment, but there are lots of references in northern Ireland from that period. Archibald Williamson (whose name sounds Scottish), the “Irish Jew,” advertised “the Jews music” at the Sign of the Fiddle and Dulcimer in Dublin in 1738 and 1744. So it’s safe to say it was known by then.

“I came across a manuscript in the U.S. where the author wrote about his grandfather, born in 1836, who had a dulcimer that he said came over from Ireland in the 18th century with his immigrant ancestor. The name was Conley. True or not, who knows, but it’s possible. Then there’s a very old one in the New Brunswick Museum brought over in the early 19th century by an immigrant from Derry.”

Paul Gifford: The Hammered Dulcimer … A History

“The Irish seemed to regard the hammered dulcimer as typically Jewish. An Dublin advertisment in 1738/9 announced, The Jews music is to be had at the Sign of the Fiddle and Dulcimer in Copper Alley by Archibald Williamson, who Gentlemen are pleased to called the Irish Jew. In 1769, a German-born Jew, Isaac Isaacs arrived in Dublin where he enjoyed a successful career playing Irish jigs and reels on his dulcimer in theatres and taverns. For several years he was under a retainer to play with a fiddler weekly for a well-known brothel-operator.”

Irish Jewish Music

Cheers Dick

“A German Dulcimer player in Eighteenth Century Dublin“

“Among the musicians to enjoy her patronage was a fashionable performer on the Hammered Dulcimer, a musical instrument rare in Ireland at any time. He was Isaac Isaacs, a German born Jew, who was first heard of in Dublin performing at Smock Alley Theatre during the 1767-68 theatrical season and billed as recently arrived from Dublin.”

Read more of how he received patronage of 50 Guineas a year for two years, from a Mrs Leeson. She used to take him along to play at parties & even on walks when she would ..

“have my groom, with the Dulcimer tied on his back, Isaacs playing on it, and another man on the violin, to play through all the walks”

Isaacs obituary appeared in the Dublin Evening Post, 5 May 1791:

“Deaths …. In Winetavern Street, after a few hours indisposition, Isaac Isaacs, a German Jew, well known to the pleasurable circles as one of the first Dulcimer performers in Europe.”

So it looks like the Hammered Dulcimer was being played in Ireland at least eighty years before instruments like the Accordion, Concertina & Tenor Banjo were even invented & certainly long before instruments like Guitars & Bodhrans became popular!

So why did the Dulcimer not become more popular or ever really become accepted as part of the Tradition, in most areas of Ireland? Were musicians just too lazy to tune all those strings, or was it because the instrument simply was not available?

We know that when the Concertina & Accordion arrived in Ireland, they were being mass produced & many were also cheap, with the bonus that you didn’t need to tune them! So perhaps, if only an Irish Luthier had taken a shine to the Dulcimer & started making them, who knows, we might have seen it become as ubiquitous as the humble Bodhran by now!

If you have a facebook account, you might like to check out the facebook group:

The Hammered Dulcimer in Ireland!

The Co. Antrim Hammered Dulcimer Blog is designed to remind people of its history in the Glens of Antrim & of the great Hammered Dulcimer players of Co. Antrim, like Derek Bell & John Rea.

Also, to keep people informed of its current status in Co. Antrim.

The Co. Antrim Hammered Dulcimer Blog

Most Dulcimer Hammers are made from Wood, but John Rea of Glenarm, used bits of wire from an old Bird Cage & bent them into shape.

In this photo, you can see a pair of old Cane Hammers resting on Nat MaGee‘s Dulcimer.

Although most of the Irish Hammered Dulcimers were made in Co. Antrim, a few have been made elsewhere. Check out the Slideshow below to see some photos of Irish made Hammered Dulcimers.

Click to view slideshow.

According to the late John Rea, much of the music you would have heard played, in the Glens of Antrim, would have been Scottish.

So here’s a wee Scottish selection, especially for those of you who haven’t heard a Hammered Dulcimer before.

The Strathspey is ‘The Braes of Tulliemet‘ & the 6/8s are ‘Scarce o’ Tatties‘ & ‘Drummond Castle‘.

Video