I suspect a bit of bias there Anahata. I think one normaly looks to a player(s) who you know to be strong to largely take a lead role and don't think so much about the instrument. It could be a piper in one session, a fiddler in another, etc. I can't imagine a "non-melody" instrument ever fulfilling that role.

Back to the competition. I do like the bodhran in good hands but even if every player this event was good, the idea sounds a bit nightmarish to me. I like the instruments accompanying a melody but bodhran solos (or any drum solos for that matter) tend to bore me to tears in a matter of seconds and if they go on a long while start to aggravate me.