Notes and Queries

NOTES AND QUERIES THE BODHRÁN OR GAELIC TAMBOURINE Writing from Maryland, the practitioner of traditional Irish music Jesse Winch reminds readers of ÉIRE-IRELAND that the presence of the bodhrán in traditional Irish music antedates Seán Ó Riada’s use of the instrument in the late 1950s, as noted by Valerie Austin in “The Céili and Public Dance Halls Act, 1935” (Fall, 1993). While the bodhrán has an obscure prehistory, the instrument is documented on commercial recordings of Irish music dating from the 1920s. Likewise, Micheál Ó Súilleabháin’s Introduction to the Bodhrán offers several photographs of a young bodhrán player dating from 1946. These were taken by Caoimhín Ó Dannachair of the Department of Irish Folklore, University College, Dublin. THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF NINETEENTHCENTURY IRELAND At All Hallows College, Drumcondra, the Society for the Study of Nineteenth -century Ireland will sponsor a conference aimed at examining issues of gender present in the study of Ireland under the Union. The conference will run from April 28 through April 30, 1995. This will be the third conference sponsored by the Society for the Study of Nineteenth-century Ireland . Readers of ÉIRE-IRELAND interested in more information about this conference should write to: Dr. Margaret Kelleher, Department of English , Mater Dei Institute of Education, Clonliffe Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. NOTES AND QUERIES 192 ...