When Claire O’Kane from Mussenden Sea Salt invited me to provide harp music for bespoke dining experiences at A Taste of Mussenden, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit the breathtaking Mussenden Temple with my harp. My particular area of interest is the music of the old Irish harpers, as collected by Edward Bunting atContinue reading “Music of the Harpers at Mussenden Temple”
Tag Archives: irish harp
Lá na Cruite/ Harp Day 2022
Each year on the 15th October, Ireland’s national body, Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland heralds a national and worldwide celebration of Ireland’s harp, its music, players and makers. Part of the celebrations include a ‘Harpers’ Call’, inviting harp players to contribute a video performance on a particular theme. This year’s theme was Harping Together. You can watchContinue reading “Lá na Cruite/ Harp Day 2022”
Harpmaker’s Workshop at Shankill Rd Library
As part of Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022, Turmennan Harps delivered a Workshop on harpmaking at the Shankill Road Library in Belfast. Almost all of my pupils and I play harps made by Belfast’s Brian Waugh and his father, Mervyn, who taught him his craft. Brian makes a range of harps, from learnerContinue reading “Harpmaker’s Workshop at Shankill Rd Library”
Harp Summer School, Portballintrae
Harp pupils from Dunseverick Primary School took time out this summer to gather together, learn some new tunes, play some old ones and have fun together in sunny Portballintrae. The fine weather enticed us outside and many visitors to the area were treated to the sound of 9 harps playing as they began their coastalContinue reading “Harp Summer School, Portballintrae”
Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022
230 years ago, the last of the great harpers in Ireland gathered in Belfast for the Belfast Harp Assembly; a bid to preserve and revive the dying aural tradition of Irish harping. Only eleven harpers turned up. Seven were blind. The eldest was Denis Hempson, 97, from County Derry. A young Edward Bunting, aged justContinue reading “Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022”
My Harp Journey
Learning to play the harp was, for a long time, an unfulfilled dream for me. Growing up in Northern Ireland and coming from a Protestant background, I didn’t have the opportunity to learn Irish harp. The harp held a mythical quality for me. I was a reader and was aware of its special properties throughContinue reading “My Harp Journey”
National Harp Day 2021
This year for National Harp Day, seventeen harpers from Causeway Harp School gathered together at the beautiful East Strand in Portrush, County Antrim to play in ensemble together. Whilst this was a wonderful experience, it was difficult to capture the sound as the sea was so rough that day! Following on from this, two pupilsContinue reading “National Harp Day 2021”
Cambrian Harp Festival
What a treat for me to travel to beautiful Wales to teach an Irish Harp Workshop as part of the very first Cambrian Harp Festival, in association with the wonderful Derwent Harp School. Participants of all ages and abilities leaned to play Planxty Irwin, by 17th century composer and harper, Turlough O’Carolan, followed by aContinue reading “Cambrian Harp Festival”
Colmcille 1500, ‘Strings of Heaven’
I was delighted to take part in this wonderful project by Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh of Scoil Ruaidhrí Dall which celebrates 1500 years since the birth of Colmcille. Comcille, also known as St Columba, is linked with the Causeway Coast and Glens area. Nodlaig’s original piece of music for harp and voice is entitled ‘Strings ofContinue reading “Colmcille 1500, ‘Strings of Heaven’”
New Christmas tune for Irish Harp
The last time my parents visited the stunning Glenveagh National Park in Donegal (somewhere we used to visit as children), they brought me back this wonderful CD by Manus Lunny. By the time I got to track 4, Nollag sa Gleann, I didn’t get any further! I just had to learn this tune on theContinue reading “New Christmas tune for Irish Harp”
Causeway Harp School 