The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
Drummer boys were part of 19th-century military parades and were used as a means of keeping army brigades in time with each other during long marches to fields of battle. It was first collected by Francis O’Neill in Chicago. It’s possible that it may have been an old fife and drum walking march which would often be played to keep morale among fighting men at a sizeable level!
Could not load ABC notation.