Harp Ireland

Harps Alive: Live Sound for Traditional Music with Úna Monaghan
2026-07-30 15:30 - 16:30 (Europe/Dublin) | Ulster University Belfast, Belfast
Úna Monaghan is a live sound engineer with specialisms in traditional acoustic, experimental and multichannel music. She has 20 years of experience working internationally with leading musicians and composers, from Pauline Scanlon, Andy Irvine, Dolores Keane, Maighread and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, to Mark Lettieri, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, John Spillane, Liz Carroll, The Olllam, Liam O’Flynn and Landless. She was Donal Lunny’s front of house engineer for two of his major projects at home and on tour – Usher’s Island and Atlantic Arc Orchestra, and was touring engineer with At First Light, Ensemble Ériu, Notify and Réalta. She has mixed countless traditional musicians from Shetland to Shanghai and through her work in venues throughout Ireland, including years in An Droichead, The Black Box and the Duncairn Belfast, often by artist request. In 2025 she was sound engineer and designer for Jennifer Walshe’s major new opera MARS, in Galway Arts Festival and The Abbey, Dublin.
This talk and Q&A will discuss considerations for the amplification of traditional musicians, both from the point of view of the musician and the engineer. In addition to technical basics, expect detail from Úna’s own approach and insights beyond the practical. It is a must for anyone with questions about any aspect of their live sound.
Date: Thursday 30th July
Time: 3:30pm
Venue: Ulster University
Tickets: Book here.

Harps Alive: More harps please!
2026-07-30 16:30 - 17:30 | Ulster University Belfast, Belfast
Have you ever wondered what twenty harps playing together sound like? Harp ensembles have sprung up all over Ireland in recent years, inspired by the likes of Janet Harbison’s Belfast Harp Orchestra, which was launched in 1992. In this hands-on workshop, Lauren Ní Néill will guide harpers through the process and challenges involved in arranging traditional music for harp ensemble. Calling all harpers – bring your harps for some hands-on harp ensemble fun. If you’d rather listen, come along and get a feel for harps in numbers!
Date: Thursday 30th July
Time: 4:30pm
Venue: Ulster University
Tickets: Book here.

O'Carolan Harp Festival: Sonóir
2026-07-31 21:00 - 22:30 | St. Ronan’s Hall, Keadew West, County Roscommon, Keadue, Co. Roscommon, F52 N928, Ireland
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland, in conjunction with The O’Carolan Harp Festival, is thrilled to announce a spectacular headline concert taking place on 31st July 2026, in the St.Ronan’s Hall, Keadue. The evening promises an unforgettable celebration of harping.
At the heart of the night is a performance of Sonóir, a groundbreaking Harp Ireland commission by renowned percussionist and composer Mel Mercier. Originally premiered to critical acclaim at the Royal Irish Academy of Music last November, the piece brings together a highly unusual and evocative blend of two Irish harps (Niamh O’Brien and Alannah Thornburgh), bassoon (John Leonard), viola da gamba (Malachy Robinson), and traditional percussion (Mel Mercier).
The concert will also feature The Keadue Harp Ensemble ensuring the legacy of Turlough O’Carolan is celebrated by the community that champions it best, featuring Fiachra Guihen, Emma Benson, Sophie Daly, and Aoife Guckian.

Date: Friday 31 July 2026
Time: 9pm
Venue: St. Ronan’s Hall, F52 N928
Tickets Here

Harps Alive: Walking Tour
2026-08-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Belfast City Hall, Donegall Square N, Belfast, BT1 5GS
Join researcher and storyteller Mark Doherty for a fascinating walking talk exploring Belfast’s rich and often overlooked harping heritage through the lives of two pivotal figures: Valentine Rennie and Alexander Jackson. Central to the development of the Belfast Harp Society in the 19th century, both men played a crucial role in preserving, promoting and reviving the Irish harp tradition during a period of immense cultural change.
Drawing on fresh research, historical insight and engaging storytelling, this special Belfast TradFest event traces the people, places and ideas that helped shape Belfast’s unique place in the history of Irish harping. From the legacy of the Belfast Harp Festival to the city’s continuing role in the contemporary harp revival, the tour offers audiences a deeper understanding of how Belfast became one of the most important centres of Irish musical heritage. A must for anyone interested in history, music, culture and the living tradition.
Date: Saturday 1st August
Time: 2pm
Venue: Belfast City Hall
Tickets: Book here.
