Paraphrased from what I wrote in another thread:
It is a myth that (at least some) bodhranistas play bodhrans because they can't play anything else.
Sorry to disappoint you: I play a lot of other instruments. I just happen to LIKE drums, and CHOOSE to play them. I DON'T insist on playing along with everything, and I DO listen to the tunes, probably know them better than some of the off-tune fiddle scrapers! And I can keep time as well as the Speaking clock.
Of the various musicians (on a variety of instruments)that I play with, some are good at listening to what's going on around them, some are not: just get their heads down and play whatever it is at whatever speed they like. I have been known to stop playing because it was like time lapse photography, all doing their own thing!
The bodhran can be and do so many different things too, depending on the type of music played:
Apart from the usual jigs and reels,with a bit of practice and knowledge of rhythms you can play jazz, rock (with backbeat), calypso, "Big bass drum" as per some Morris bands, Latin American, pipe band rhythms, etc.
And it CAN be used to good effect with certain songs, but be sure it's either yourself that's singing or someone's asked you to play!
Yes, and most of all, know when not to play. (And if I hear one more boring old chestnut joke about that - OMG, how many more times do we have to have them thrown at us? - ..................polite words fail me! I shall start throwing Stanley knives about!