Last month, my wife Carol spent about ten days in Ireland on a ministry trip with Fire Ministries. In the midst of all the busy activities, she managed to find the time to select a very special gift for me: a handcrafted Bodhran made by Michael Vignoles.
This instrument is no tourist-shop knock-off, either. It’s the real deal, with a tunable goatskin head and a warm, rich tone.
As providence would have it, the gentleman who owns the Forge House bed & breakfast where Carol was staying also runs The Forge, a recording studio right there on the property! Carol got to talking to him about where she could find a Bodhran and, as it turns out, he knows someone who builds them (professionally). Before long, he had produced a few for Carol to choose from – and let me tell you, she “chose wisely” (please pardon the geeky Indiana Jones reference).
So, I suppose you might be expecting to hear this beast on an upcoming recording – and, Lord willing, you will. But it will likely be awhile before you do, as there is a tiny little hitch: I need to learn how to play it properly, and without the tipper flying out of my hand!
Now, for your viewing pleasure, I’ve uploaded a few more pics of this wonderful instrument. Just click on the thumbnails at left to see the full-size images.
In the meantime, I’m off to look for that guy’s email address. Carol gave his card to me and I need to send him a big THANK YOU for helping my wife find the perfect birthday present for me…
