The Lambeg Drum

'So let the drums rattle the summons of battle; the Protestant boys will carry the day'.

Click above to hear a Lambeg Drum in RealAudio

This verse from a popular Orange ballad should remind Orangemen and their friends and supporters of an old tradition which is still alive and well in many country areas of the province. Lambeg drums, also known as the Tibby, the Rattley or the Slasher were once a feature of the Belfast procession, but their use was discontinued because they slowed the pace of the march. However, anyone who has attended a 'country' Twelfth will certainly remember them. You may love or hate them, but you can't ignore them - and the same can be said of Ulster folk themselves.

The forerunner of the Lambeg was a large war drum, used in battle in much the same manner as the bugle and bagpipes; to put heart into the troops and to transmit orders. 'Large Drums' were brought to Ulster by the Dutch Blue Guards Regiment which accompanied King William on his way to the Boyne. These were probably stave drums, about the size of the present day bass drum but made of staves like a barrel, and they were heavier than the Lambeg as we know it.

In any event. they obviously mightily impressed the local Ulstermen, for after the Williamite Wars, the stave drum, in conjunction with the fife, was adopted by the various Williamite Societies which were the forerunners of Orange Lodges, the first of which was formed in 1795.

The stave drum had also been adopted by the 'Irish Volunteers' movement in the 1780's, and ex-Volunteers joined the new organisation, bringing with them their traditions of flag carrying, lodge formation in rank and file, and of course the music of the 'Big Drum'.

Lord Gosford of Markethill, County Armagh, wrote an account of the first Twelfth parade which took place on Tuesday, 12th July, 1796:

'One party consisting of 30 companies with banners and flags after parading through Portadown, Loughgall and Richhill came towards this place above five o'clock in the evening marching in regular files two by two with Orange cockades, unarmed, and by companies which were distinguished by numbers upon their flags. The party had one drum and each company had a fife and two men in front with painted wands in their hand who acted as commanders'.

They were not only used in Orange processions, but also provided a rallying call to meetings at the Worshipful Master's house and signalled to the surrounding populace that lodges were on the move. However, few things are so good that they cannot be improved upon, and they were still being beaten with round-headed stick similar to the tenor drum sticks of today. It is because these new drums were initially made at Lambeg, near Lisburn, that they have been called 'Lambegs' ever since.

On 12 July 1870 the distinctive sound of the Lambeg as we know it was born, when the drums were beaten with canes for the first time. To quote Richard Hayward

' the noise is terrific, and infectious as the measles!'

. For those of you who are inspired to try a 'do-it-yourself' Lambeg Drum, the historic instrument consists of a round 'shell' made of glued layers of wood, two goatskin 'heads', and two wooden 'hoops' which are placed of the goatskins and pulled tight across the shell with a rope lacing. So first catch your two adult goats...Richard Hayward might give you a hint here, with his cruelly witty song about the extremely hostile resident of Drumaness whose goat mysteriously disappeared a not inordinately long time before the local lodge was fortunate enough to acquire a new drum head!

Once you have your drum and canes, you might be forgiven for thinking that even carrying the drum around is achievement enough. But to quote Haywards again

'no drummer is thought to be worth his salt until two livid semi-circles of his blood stain the skins at each side of the instrument, drawn from the lacerations of his knuckles on the wooden rims as he beats out his message of defiance.'

And of course, you must learn the rhythms to beat out. Each local area has a distinctive beat. Beginners often say little rhymes to themselves to keep the beat - these may or may not be for general comsumption!

Then, of course, when you reach a degree of proficiency you may consider going out on parade with your drum. But don't expect to turn up on the Twelfth morning, pick up your canes and start drumming. Preparations for the Twelfth begin about a week in advance when drums are 'put up' in the Orange Hall. These are slackened at the end of each night's drumming, and next evening the ropes are 'pulled' by hand again to start drumming. And after the Twelfth is over the drums are taken down by taking the hoops off the shell and removing the goatskin 'heads'. Each drummer has his own secret potion to rub down the heads - some have been rumoured to use peculiar concoctions containing white of egg, and even (dare we mention it) a drop of poteen! A word of warning however - we don't advocate and experimental lick!

You may ask what you receive in return for all the anguish involved. Well, there are drumming contests, organised by five different Drumming Associations, the largest of which are the Down and Armagh Association, the Glenavy Association (which includes the Lisburn area) the ever increasing County Antrim Association and the Moneymore Association (Cookstown area).

These contests are a development of the last thirty years, and some take place in village streets while the majority are held in Orange Halls.

There are cups and money prizes - but don't book your holiday to the Bahama's just yet!

Really the rewards are more spiritual than material. There is simply nothing to compare with standing in the middle of a ring of drummers all in full wallop. You still hear those drums long after you have wended your half-deafened way home. Do not laugh at the judges who bend so solemnly first to one side of the drum then to the other. They are not hard of hearing - they are just checking that the tension of the drum heads is the same. The visual impact of the drums is equally fascinating.

If you are inspired to find out whether you are susceptible to the infections beat of the drums, why not, on your next trip to Ulster, wander into the courtyard of Brownlow House some pleasant summer's evening on the run up to the Twelfth, or have an outinto Markethill on the last Saturday in July where 50 to 60 drums will take part in the annual 'Clady day' drumming match.

Whole families have been gripped by the lure of the Lambeg for generations, handing down the expertise of construction and of drumming itself, from parent to child. In recent years there has been a great revival of the drumming art and many young people have taken it up. The cost of hiring bands, or starting Lodge bands of their own, has persuaded Lodges to maintain the Lambegs. One thing is certain - flute, pipe, accordian, and military bands can all be found in other countries around the world. But the relentless, inspiring beat of the Lambeg is, uniquely, the voice of Ulster.