Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín

What is your name / where are you from?
My name is Éadaoin Ní Mhaicín and I am from Balla in County Mayo.

How did you start playing the harp?
I was very fortunate to grow up living beside my grandparents who adored Irish music. My Grandad, Joe Forde loved the harp and thought I would take to it after playing the fiddle for a few years. I remember hatching a plan with him to convince my parents to rent one out to try when I was 8 years old and somehow the plan worked.

The first harp that I owned was made by the ingenious Paddy Cafferky and after receiving it I began lessons with the incredible Gráinne Hambly who fortunately lived down the road from me. I have been immersed in the harping world ever since.

What does the harp mean to you?
The harp holds a very special place in my heart. When I am unable to express my emotions through words I turn to the harp and find myself diving into every emotion through the music I perform. It’s a way of escaping at times and when I play I feel most at home with myself.

What do you like most about Lá na Cruite | Harp Day?
I love that all of us harpists are one big community. We have the opportunity to come together on this day to encourage each other and promote our instrument. Celebrate the instrument together.