In recognition of Maine’s bicentennial in 2020, this amazing instrument unique to Ulster, was commissioned by the Ulster-Scots Agency (NI) and gifted to The Maine Ulster-Scots Project.

Maine has close links with Northern Ireland and the Maine Ulster-Scots Project aims to promote awareness of Maine’s Ulster-Scots heritage and to gather, save, and share the stories of Maine’s Ulster-Scots families. As well as being a unique display piece, the drum will be played in Maine, sharing the rhythms of Ulster and raising awareness about the Ulster-Scots.

Keeping with the tradition of naming Lambeg drums, the ‘Maine Drum’ is named ‘Dirigo’ (meaning ‘I Lead'), the motto of the state of Maine. The drum was painted by Ulster-based drum painter and champion drummer Andy Young, from Richhill, Northern Ireland and includes images celebrating our shared history and industrial links between Maine and Ulster.

The Lambeg drum is an important aspect of Ulster-Scots music tradition and identity. It is one of the largest (and loudest) percussion instruments in the world with a most unique sound. Each drum is commissioned and hand crafted by one of only a small number of Ulster artisans with the skills to make these unique instruments. The skills are passed ‘hands-on’ from one generation to the next, often through families. Each drum-maker and drum-painter has his own personal methods of crafting the drum and these are often kept secret by the maker. Every drum has a unique intonation, character and hand-painted design.

It is believed that this style of drum came to Ireland during the Williamite War in the late 17th Century. However, there is written reference to loud percussion instruments used to communicate across the hills of Antrim and the twelve mills of the North Channel to the Inner Hebrides forming the Gaelic kingdom of Dalriada that existed in the region between the 5th and 9th centuries. Over time, the drums grew in size to increase their volume for use in battle and the two-sided playing approach was adopted. In the late 19th Century, ball-ended sticks were replaced by canes of malacca or bamboo, creating the characteristic ‘crack’ sound.

This new sound was reportedly first heard in the County Antrim village of Lambeg, close to Belfast and it is believed this is how the great drum came to be christened a ‘Lambeg’ drum. Drums are played using traditional patterns or rhythms called ‘time drumming’ and are rarely notated. Instead, they are learned and passed down through generations aurally.

Hand crafted by a single craftsman, the wood (oak is normally preferred) is steamed and shaped to make the shell of the drum. The skins of the drum are traditionally goatskin and before playing, they are tensioned using 15 ‘buffs’ on ropes that are laced through hoops on each side of the drum. Around 90 feet of rope is used in each drum. The rope was traditionally made from flax, a plant grown in Ulster for use in rope-making and linen industries.

‘Dirigo’ artist, Andy Young, beautifully hand painted the Maine drum in the traditional style with a range of images that reflect shared Ulster-Scots links between Maine and Northern Ireland as well as images that are associated with Maine culture and history including: the Maine State Seal, the shipbuilding traditions of Harland & Wolfe in Belfast, NI and Bath Iron Works in Maine, a pioneer mother with babe in arms, Ulster-Scots signatories of the Declaration of Independence, Abenaki First Nation people,  flax flowers of Ulster and Pine Cones of Maine, a 1718 ship, U.S. Flag embedded in a hexagon representing the Giant’s Causeway of Ulster, and the lobster and lobster buoys recognizes the importance of the fishing industry in Maine.

The drum serves as an educational touchstone for discussions of our shared and complex histories and musical links, while also hopefully inspiring viewers to learn more about their own family connections and deep roots in Maine and Northern Ireland.

Learn more about the making of ‘DIRIGO’ and the history of the Lambeg Drum from Northern Ireland in this informative 15 minute film.