The Bodhrán (pronounced bow-rawn, like Cow brawn) is an Irish frame drum ranging in anywhere from 10" to 26" in diameter, with most drums measuring from 14" to 18". The sides of the drum are 3 1/2" to 8" deep. A goat skin head is tacked to one side (although nowadays synthetic heads, or new materials like kangaroo skin, are sometimes used instead). The other side is open ended for the left hand to be placed against the inside of the drum head to control the pitch. One or two crossbars inside the frame strengthen it. Some professional modern bodhráin integrate mechanical tuning systems similar to those used on drums found in drum kits. Most musicians wince at the sight of a person approaching their session with a round black case slung around their shoulder. It is a somewhat controversial instrument and many see its use as disruptive to the music they are playing.
The drum is usually played in a seated position, held vertically on the player's knee and supported by his upper body and arm (usually on the left side, for a right handed player), with the hand resting on the inside of the skin where it is able to control the tension (and therefore the pitch) by applying varying amounts of pressure, with the back of the hand against the crossbar. The drum is struck with the other arm (usually the right) and is played either with the bare hand or with a lathed piece of wood called a tipper or beater. There are numerous playing styles, mostly named after the region of Ireland in which they originated. The most common is Kerry style, which uses a two-headed tipper.
Another style which has gained in popularity is the so-called "top-end" style, often played on a smaller (16 inch) and deeper (6 inch) drum with a thinner resonant skin, prepared like the skin of a lampeg drum. The tipper in this style is usually long and straight, and most of the expressive action is focused on the top end of the drum. Crossbars are often absent, allowing a more unrestricted access for the left hand to modify the tone. This enables a more melodic approach to this rhythm instrument, with a wide range of tones being employed. An influential proponent of this style is John Joe Kelly playing with Flook. This band are renowned for their tight arrangements and expressive playing, where a top-end bodhrán style adds significantly to the overall texture and dynamics. This approach to playing, however, doesn't always fit in with the informal setting of many Irish music sessions unless the player has a good ear for improvisation and listens to what the tune needs. A good player accompanies and enhances the tune subtly, rather than uses the tune as an opportunity to show off or go through their repertoire of techniques.
Although most common in Ireland, the bodhrán has gained popularity throughout the Celtic music world, especially in Scotland, Cape Breton, and Newfoundland. In Cornwall, traditional music sometimes uses a version of the bodhrán called a crowdy crawn.
Some notable bodhrán players include: Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh, Fergus O'Byrne, Paddy Mackey, Nathan MacDonald, Mel Mercier and his father Peadar Mercier, Sean McCann, Mance Grady, Lucy MacNeil, Frank Torpey, Brian Morrissey, Ken Larson and Lorcan Mac Muiris, who has incorporated jazz and Ghanaian styles into his techninque, often playing the drum held between his knees and mutating the sound by pressing on the outer surface of the head.
This information was taked from The Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Here are some other sites that you can visit to get more information on the Bodhran:
http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/bodhran/
http://www.drumdojo.com/bodhran.htm.