Harp Ireland

Féile na Tána 2026 – Festival Launch Concert
2026-01-25 20:00 - 22:30 (Europe/Dublin) | Carlingford Heritage Centre, Church Road, Carlingford, Co. Louth, Ireland
Seoladh na Féile / Festival Launch Concert
Featuring Liam O Maonlaí, Vincent Woods and the Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland All-Island Ensemble. The ensemble, led by harper Síofra Ní Dhubhghaill, presents Anáil Ársa na Seanmhaoine, a re-imagining of music of the ancient harpers from the Bunting & Neal Collections by the acclaimed harper-composer Michael Rooney.
Venue: Carlingford Heritage Centre
Date: Monday, 25th January, 6pm
Admission: €15 / U18s tickets €10
Ticket: Book Here

Féile na Tána Commission Concert
2026-01-30 20:00 | Carlingford Heritage Centre, Church Road, Carlingford, Co. Louth, Ireland
Ceolchoirm Coimisiúin Féile na Tána | Féile na Tána Commission Concert
Comh-léirithe ag Cruit Éireann agus Féile na Tána | Jointly-presented by Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland & Féile na Tána
World premiere of a new work for four Irish harps by Bill Whelan.
Featuring harpers Aisling Lyons, Cormac de Barra, Gráinne Meyer & Séamus Ó Flatharta
Also featuring a duo performances by Caoimhe and Séamus Ó Flatharta and  Zoë Conway and John McIntyre.
Venue: Carlingford Heritage Centre
Date: Friday 30th January, 8pm
Admission: €15 / U18s ticket €10
Tickets: Book Here

Anne-Marie O'Farrell at St Brigid’s Festival – The Irish Composers Collective: ‘Sounds of Spring’
2026-02-01 13:00 - 14:00 | National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Botanic Road Glasnevin Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland
The Irish Composers Collective presents ‘Songs of Spring’, a lunchtime concert of exciting new chamber music for harp, cello and soprano, taking place against the beautiful backdrop of the National Botanic Gardens.
Acclaimed musicians Yseult Cooper Stockdale (cello), Sylvia O’Brien (soprano) and Anne-Marie O’Farrell (harp) will perform a range of new works written by members of the Irish Composers Collective. These pieces, composed specially for the concert, will explore themes of Irish mythology, storytelling and nature. Come along for what promises to be a special celebration of Imbolc and the arrival of spring.
The Irish Composers Collective is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland.
Date: Sunday 1st February, 1pm
Venue: National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
Tickets: Free event, registration required here

The Irish Consort
2026-02-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Pepper Canister Church, Mount St Crescent, Dublin 2, D02 HC65, Ireland
Join us in the beautiful Pepper Canister Church for a unique evening with The Irish Consort, directed by Siobhán Armstrong. This concert explores the role of the early Irish harp at the 17th century English royal court and features the Irish premiere of William Lawes’ harp consorts performed on a brass wire strung early Irish harp by Siobhán Armstrong, with Bojan Čičić (violin), Reiko Ichise (bass viol), Elizabeth Kenny (theorbo).
Venue: Pepper Canister, 7 Mount St Crescent, Dublin 2, D02 HC65
Date: Sunday 15th February 2026
Doors: 6:00pm, Concert: 6:30pm
Tickets: Book Here

Sugar Club Harp Sessions | Michael Rooney & Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
2026-02-28 20:00 - 22:00 | The Sugar Club, 8 Leeson Street Lower, Dublin, D02 ET97, Ireland
Michael Rooney and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh open our 2026 Sugar Club Harp Sessions. Both artists are leading figures in Irish traditional music and bring a distinctive blend of creativity, musicianship and deep cultural knowledge to the stage. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is a renowned sean nós singer from Corca Dhuibhne and a multi award winning artist celebrated for her expressive and powerful performances. Michael Rooney is an influential harper and composer whose innovative style and large scale ensemble works have become central to the modern harp repertoire.
Venue: Sugar Club, 8 Leeson Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin, D02 ET97
Date: Saturday 28 February 2026
Doors: 7:30pm Concert: 8:00pm
Tickets: Book here

Belfast St. Patrick's Music Festival: Harp Workshop with Michael Rooney
2026-03-14 11:00 - 13:00 | The MAC, 10 Exchange Street West, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, BT1 2NJ, Ireland
Suitable for intermediate & advanced musicians with two years instrument experience.
Michael Rooney is a prolific composer and is widely regarded as one of the foremost players of the traditional Irish harp. Michael was awarded the TG4 Composer of the Year in 2017. Originally from Scotstown, Co. Monaghan and now a long time resident of County Sligo, Michael has composed 17 suites of music in the past 20 years, including ‘The Ulster Suite’ (2022), ‘Clairseoireacht’ (2022), Constance (2020), The Famine Suite (2019), The Macalla Suite (2016), Boróimhe Suite (2014), The Second Coming (2014), De Cuellar Suite (2011) and Battle of the Books Suite (2007).
Date: 11am – 1pm, Saturday, March 14th
Venue: The MAC, 10 Exchange Street West, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, BT1 2NJ
Price: £25 (+£2 fee)
Book Here
These events are fully accessible.
The MAC have lifts to all levels and the Front of House team is fully trained to provide additional assistance during your visit. There are accessible toilets on each of the 6 floors of the MAC. Please note that the toilets do not contain hoist systems.

Belfast St. Patrick's Festival: Dougie MacLean | Ursula Burns
2026-03-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Mandela Hall, Mandela Hall, 77 University Rd, Belfast, BT7 1NF, Ireland
Belfast TradFest is proud to present the internationally acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean, the legendary voice behind the timeless anthem “Caledonia”, in a very special concert at Mandela Hall on Saturday 14 March 2026. Few songs capture the spirit of home, belonging and identity quite like Caledonia. Although written on a beach in Brittany, the song’s earliest performances took place here in NI — shared informally among friends in the maternal home of celebrated Belfast harper Ursula Burns. Now, decades later, MacLean returns to the city where the song’s journey truly began, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience his music in a place intimately connected to its history. Expect songs, stories and soulful moments that honour music, memory and the ties that bind us across seas and generations.
“…a Scottish phenomenon… with his exquisite guitar style, expressive voice and honest performance, his songs conjure up remarkably vivid imagery of our world.”
– The Performing Songwriter, USA
Ursula Burns
Celebrated harper Ursula Burns brings her critically acclaimed album, The Secret Melodies of Trees, to the stage. Having received rave reviews from around the world, Ursula’s mesmerising performance will transport you through hauntingly beautiful harp compositions, poetic storytelling, and ethereal melodies that echo the whispers of nature.
Date: Doors 1pm (starts 1.30pm), Saturday, March 14th
Venue: Mandela Hall, 77 University Rd, Belfast BT7 1NF
Price: £32.50 (+£2 fee)
Book Here
Venue & Event Information:
Age 12+, U16’s to be accompanied by an adult.
This venue is wheelchair accessible
Full bar available
Unreserved seating

An Chúirt Chruitireachta 2026
2026-06-28 08:00 - 2026-07-03 17:00 | An Grianán, Termonfechin, Louth
Cairde na Cruite’s annual summer festival runs from Sunday 28th June to Friday 3rd July 2026. The full programme will be announced in early 2026. Register Here
Information
Residential Packages:
Student Participants (U18 or O18 with a valid student ID) : €600
Adult Participants (18+ Years) : €900
Listener: €700
The residential rate includes all workshops, concerts, meals and accommodation at An Grianán from Sunday 28th June until Friday 3rd July 2026.Non-residential Packages:
A. Morning Package:
(morning classes: 9.30am – 1pm)
€150

B. Half Day Package:
(includes morning classes, dinner and afternoon workshops: 9.30am – 5pm)
€300

C. Full Day Package:
(includes morning classes, dinner and afternoon workshops, evening meal and concerts: 9.30am – 10pm)
€495

O’Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School 2026
2026-07-27 08:00 - 2026-08-03 17:00 | Keadue, Roscommon, Keadue, Roscommon, Ireland
KEADUE, CO. ROSCOMMON –The village of Keadue, the final resting place of the legendary blind harper Turlough O’Carolan, is proud to announce the return of the O’Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School. Running from Monday, July 27th to Monday, August 3rd, 2026, this week-long celebration marks one of Ireland’s most significant cultural gatherings, blending world-class performance with immersive musical education.
The Summer School: A Week of Mastery
The festival kicks off on Monday, July 27th, with the highly anticipated Summer School. Musicians of all ages and abilities will gather for intensive workshops led by master tutors. The curriculum is designed to be comprehensive, ensuring the preservation of traditional Irish arts:

Morning Classes: Dedicated to Harp, Tin Whistle, Concertina, Bodhrán, and Set Dancing.
Afternoon Classes: Specialized sessions in Banjo, Flute, Button Accordion, Fiddle, Traditional Singing, and Sean-Nós Dancing.
Special Sessions: The “Try the Harp” initiative returns, offering beginners a unique opportunity to touch and play the instrument in a supportive environment.

Concert Highlights: Harp Ireland & Téada
The 2026 festival boasts a stellar lineup of evening performances, with two major highlights anchoring the schedule:
The O’Carolan Harp Festival in conjunction with Harp Ireland are co -sponsoring on Friday 31st July in Keadue a fantastic concert of Mel Mercier’s newly Harp Ireland commissioned work, called Sonóir for 2 Irish harps, Bassoon, Viola Da Gamba and percussion which we premiered last Nov in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. The idea would be that they will perform individually as well as collectively – all renowned musicians in their own right – Niamh O’Brien (Harper, Composer and Fullbright Scholar, Alannah Thornburgh (Harper, Best Folk instrumentalist at the RTE Folk Awards 2025), Malachy Robinson (Irish Chamber Orchestra) Greg Crowley( National Symphony Orchestra) and Mel Mercier himself on percussion.
The evening also features our local Harpers Aoife Guckian,Sophie Daly, Fiachra Guihen and Emma Benson who are legendary throughout the North West and beyond .
Sunday Evening Main Event: Téada The festival’s centerpiece performance takes place on Sunday in Thr O’Carolan Centre at St. Ronan’s Hall, featuring the internationally acclaimed group Téada. Known for their raw energy and virtuosic precision, Téada is a leading voice in traditional Irish music. Their performance promises to be a high-octane celebration, bringing a global perspective back to the heart of North Roscommon. Formed in 2001, Téada has headlined major music festivals across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Led by fiddle player Oisín Mac Diarmada, the group is celebrated for a sound that is both sophisticated and unpretentious, proving that traditional music remains a living, breathing, and wildly exciting art form.
A Legacy in String Beyond the stage and classroom, the festival will include the annual Harp Competition, attracting competitors from across the globe to vie for one of the most prestigious titles in the traditional circuit. The week concludes on the August Bank Holiday Monday with the legendary Door Dancing competition and a festive parade through the village.
“We are thrilled to welcome the world back to Keadue,” says the Festival Committee. “From the quiet focus of our morning workshops to the thunderous applause for Téada, this week is a testament to the enduring spirit of O’Carolan.”
Tickets & Enrolment: Online registration for the Summer School and ticket sales for all concerts will be open soon . Due to high demand, early booking is strongly advised.
