About Us
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland was established in 2016 by harpers in collaboration with The Arts Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon to support the continuing evolution of the harp. We are the driving force behind the harp in Ireland. We are ambitious for its future. We promote the harp, its organisations, its harp players and its harp makers. Our vision for the harp is that it will continue its current momentum – attracting more performers and new audiences and enriching Irish musical and cultural life.
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland is a company limited by guarantee with a board of 11 Directors/Trustees, who meet quarterly to oversee the organisation’s work. It also has an advisory group of 15 members. The advisory group’s membership reflects the range and diversity of harp playing in Ireland and comprises performers, teachers, and other specialists in the sector. It meets three times per year. We welcome new participants to our general harp forum meetings, which we hold annually. In 2019, Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland was honoured to accept UNESCO recognition of Irish harping on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage; international recognition that Irish harping is a key element of Ireland’s living heritage and must be safeguarded for future generations.
We are a dynamic harp hub – enabling creative expression across a broad range of harp genres. We affirm and promote the harp as Ireland’s national emblem, and we seek sustainable supports for the harp in Ireland. We acknowledge the harp’s diversity, while acknowledging the wide variety of repertoire and performance styles that the harp has reflected for hundreds of years.
Nurture excellence and creativity at all levels of harp engagement
Acknowledge and promote the legacy of the Early Irish harp
Work to consolidate the role of the Irish harp in Irish music and across genres
Support the Pedal harp, its heritage in Ireland and its repertoire
Ensure that harp tuition is available and accessible on a national basis
Provide professional development opportunities for harpers, including an emphasis on harp teacher education
Commission and publish new repertoire for the harp
Engage with harp makers living and working in Ireland to ensure a strong and viable indigenous harp-making industry
Collaborate in the development of harp-led initiatives and events
Seek to introduce new audiences to the harp and its music
Foster a scholarly approach to conserving the legacy and tradition of the harp while exploring new directions
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland works collaboratively to support harpers, promote all aspects of harping in Ireland and secure its future sustainability. Through funding we receive from The Arts Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon, we organise harp events throughout Ireland, creating more accessibility to the instrument for those who wish to learn and bringing harp music to new audiences. We support Irish harp makers and promote the Irish harp making tradition. We are unified in our purpose and seek to maintain open and accessible communications channels between our representative members and our various stakeholders. CÉHI has charitable status and complies with the Charities Governance Code.
View our Strategic Plan 2025-2030 here: Resonance: Bridging Tradition and Tomorrow.
