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Bodhrán stick

Musical Instrument
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A short, double-ended stick used to strike the Irish bodhrán drum

Detailed Definition
The bodhrán stick appears in poetry as an extension of the hand in communal rhythm; its rapid taps drive traditional Irish sessions, and poets reference it to evoke cultural identity, pulse of dance, or the tactile connection between body and drum in verse celebrating oral and musical heritage.
Example
Example in poetry:
The bodhrán stick “taps the drum like a heartbeat counting steps to home”; In a lyric, its rhythm matches the poet’s pulse during a storm; The stick’s double ends “speak in question and answer, like memory and hope”; A performance poem uses onomatopoeia to mimic the stick’s rapid taps: “tip-tap-tok-tik”.
Additional Notes
The bodhrán stick (or tipper) is essential to Irish traditional music, where its rapid, alternating strokes drive rhythm in sessions and dance; in poetry, it often symbolizes the extension of the body into sound, communal pulse, or cultural transmission; understanding its technique helps students interpret verses where rhythm becomes a metaphor for identity, continuity, or the tactile link between performer and instrument.
Also Known As
Tipper Beater Bodhrán beater
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