The Twelfth would really not be the Twelfth without the sound of the lambed drum. This year it is one instrument that won’t be affected by social distancing as you are probably advised to stand back at least two metres normally. The Independent Twelfth has been welcoming more dunning parties over the last few years and it has a long tradition of lambed drumming with the Wilkinson Family one of the original Lambeg Drum makers of Ulster.

The lambeg legend is that this giant of drums came over with King William to Ireland, and on that morning of the Battle of the Boyne the sound of a wren pecking crumbs off the head of a drum awoke the drummer who signalled the alarm and ensured a primitive attack by the Jacobites was foiled. However like all great legends this story has grown over time. It makes for a great tale, but any drum man will tell you it couldn’t have happened like that – for sure no drummer would love the head of his drum open to the elements much less a hungry bird!  However like many myths there is a central truth, William’s army many have brought a larger style of drum used by his Dutch Blue Guards. Like the legend the drum did now over time and probably as one drum maker sought to outdo the others they built bigger and bigger drums. In fact the only things that stopped the drums getting even bigger was the ability of one man to carry them and the limit to the size of a goatskin, for no matter how much you can wet and stretch it they are bound but the size of the animal.

This year like every other Twelfth as far back as men can remember, the drums have been pulled in preparation for the Twelfth. Of course this year social distancing was observed but the same traditions and techniques had to be used. The result is that the men of McNeillstown and Drumraw will be heard even if they can’t be seen on the roads. Members will meet at Drumraw Hall to let the drums sing on the Twelfth and while we are not advertising the event as a public event due to public restrictions, it is one instrument that you can enjoy from your car. So we will be hosting a Drive-in Drum Session on the Twelfth.