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.
Alec MaGee of Ballyclare Co. Antrim made exact copies of John Rea‘s Hammered Dulcimer for both Nat MaGee & William Rea as well as about ten others.
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.
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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‘.
Anyone wishing to see & hear a Hammered Dulcimer being played today in Co. Antrim can always join us in the Bushmills Inn any Saturday night.
For the past eight years, with my group Scad the Beggars, I have been playing my Hammered Dulcimer in Bushmills, helping in a small way, to keep alive the Dulcimer tradition in Co. Antrim.
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Sabine & Dick Glasgow playing at Dunluce Castle, Co. Antrim!
This photo was taken at Dunluce Castle. The Hammered Dulcimer is the ideal instrument to introduce people, children especially, to the reality that it is really quite easy to play simple tunes on a musical instrument.
Here are links to a couple of videos of me playing my Hammered Dulcimer in costume at historic locations around Antrim.
Video #1: Playing Captain O’Kane on my Rick Thum Hammered Dulcimer, in Medieval costume, in the Solarium at Carrickfergus Castle.
Video #2: Playing Limerick’s Lamentation in Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim!
Video #3: Sabine on Gothic Harp & Dick Glasgow playing the Co. Antrim tune, Miss Hamilton, in Carrickfergus Castle!
Video #4: Playing with friends Sam & Ferris in our period tent, at a Medieval Joust on the Causeway Coast!
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Giving a presentation to school children in Waterford, on the history of Musical Instruments in Ireland.
Sabine & I regularly give presentations in schools around Co. Antrim, and sometimes further afield, demonstrating the development of many traditional musical instruments, which gives me a great opportunity to keep the Antrim Dulcimer alive & hopefully encourage members of the next generation to take an interest in it.
This is a rather historic photo of the last three Co. Antrim Hammered Dulcimer players, sharing a tune at the Causeway Dulcimer Festival in Bushmills, back in 2005.
L to R Nat MaGee (RIP), William Rea & Barry Carroll (seated) plus well known Co. Antrim Fiddle player Kathleen Smyth in the foreground.
