Cornelius Lyons Harp Summer School
2025-06-20 - 2025-06-22 | Teach Siamsa Finuge, Co. Kerry, V92WE22, Ireland
Join us at Teach Siamsa Finuge (V92 WE22) for a weekend of inspiring harp classes, talks, informal sessions and concerts. This weekend, led by renowned harpist Janet Harbison, is perfect for those looking to deepen their understanding of the Irish harp tradition, refine their technical and interpretative skills, and engage with the story of a North Kerry harper whose legacy is being brought home.
Limited places are available – book now!
For more info & bookings contact teachsiamsafinuge@gmail.com
Cornelius Lyons, a native of Rattoo, County Kerry, was a household harper to the Earl of Antrim at the turn of the 18th century. His most famous composition is Miss Hamilton.

Janet Harbison Donegal Ireland Harp Summer School Week 1
2025-06-23 - 2025-06-29 | Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Ireland
June 1 – 7 & July 6 -12: ADULTS ONLY
The Adult Only weeks are for players over the age of 18, of all levels and abilities – featuring a week of training, fun and friendship on the magnificent Donegall coast and town of Dungloe. The focus is on ‘social playing’ where everybody is included without pressure or stress. The more novice players just play less notes (!) and the detail is added as you advance your skills. Daily tuition is given in large and small groups, workshops, lectures, concerts, sessions and local trips out – in a full programme of group oral training with exceptional interaction with local musicians.
What’s included

5 days of Summer School training from 9.30am to 3.30pm (9.30am – 12.45pm Wednesday, and 10am-5pm on Friday)
All evening activities, concerts, lectures, sessions
Lunches (for all foody needs – vegans and vegetarians included) and supper on arrival Sunday evening (June 8 or July 13). Other evenings we eat out or cook in (this cost not included)
A book of tunes covered on the course and a music shop to explore for more
A mid-week trip out to Glenveigh National Park, Arranmore Island or Mount Errigal
Accommodation for 6 nights (from Sunday to Saturday) in twin or double ensuite bedrooms in homely, fully equipped adjacent holiday cottages. Kitchens are set up with breakfast supplies, and all-day teas and coffees. (For participants taking 2 consecutive weeks, the in-between night is free)

Course Price (per person)
€1,300

July 13 – 19: ADULTS, TEENS & TEACHERS
ADULTS and TEENS
This course is for adults and teenagers (from age 12 upwards), of all standards and musical backgrounds. Tuition is in large and small group classes (there’s a max of 8 players on any course) – and in ‘practice periods’ there is lots of individual assistance from the teachers on the teacher’s course (which runs alongside the summer-school).
The course content embraces all you need to flourish as a performer and social player – from ‘technical workshops’ to warm-up for improved agility and chord-skills, and a brace of tunes at all player-levels so all can participate in social play (in ‘the session’). There are activities, concerts or sessions every evening and a half day on Wednesday (or Thursday if the weather is poor) when we take a half day trip out to the island of Arannmore, the magnificent Glenveigh National Park and Nature Reserve or a walk up Mount Errigal, Donegal’s legendary mountain.
Teens are fully supervised at all times both at the Summer School Centre and ‘out and about’. In the evenings they will join Janet and her assistant for dinner (and in advance of the course, Janet will discuss with the parents/guardians about ‘dinner accounts’ if preferred to the teen’s financial independence). Janet is fully qualified in Child Safeguarding and Protection and will act ‘in loco parentis’ assuring parents of fully responsible management.
Classes run 9.30 – 3pm daily except for Friday when we start at 10am and finish at 5pm.
Accommodated participants
Arrive Sunday from 2pm – Depart Saturday after breakfast
Join us for supper on Sunday evening at 8.30pm or on Monday Morning at 9.30
ADULTS course and inclusions

5 days of Summer School training
All evening activities, concerts, lectures etc
Training book of tunes covered
Supper on Sunday, lunches Monday-Friday, Coffee, Tea breaks (Evenings we eat out or self-cater. This cost not included)
6 nights accommodation in Twin or Double ensuite bedrooms in homely, fully equipped holiday cottages with starter breakfast supplies

Course Price (for one)
€1,300 per person
Course Price (for two sharing accommodation)
€1,200 each
Plus-ones sharing (& not Harping)
€300
TEENS course and inclusions

5 days of Summer School training
All evening activities, concerts, lectures etc
Training book of tunes covered
Tea / coffee / juice breaks
Supper on Sunday, lunches Monday-Friday, Coffee, Tea breaks (Evenings we eat out or self-cater – this cost not included)
6 Nights accommodation in Twin or Double ensuite bedrooms in homely, fully equipped holiday cottages with breakfast
Full supervision by Janet and her assistant

Course Price (per person in shared or single room)
€850
TEACHERS
Arrive Saturday evening (June 7th or July 12th) or before 11am on Sunday morning early (June 8th or July 13th ). This course runs alongside the regular summer school for Adults and Teens (who start on Monday morning) so you have teaching to observe and students to practise with. Your training is intense but guaranteed to be enriching, informative and rewarding.
Whats included

14 hours of Teacher Training, 10 hours of Teaching Practise and inclusion in the 5-day summer-school classes
All training materials and sample books
All evening activities, concerts, lectures, sessions
Lunches (for all foody needs – vegans and vegetarians included) and supper on Sunday evening (June 8 or July 13). All other evenings we eat out or cook in (this cost not included)
A mid-week trip out to Glenveigh National Park, Arranmore Island or Mount Errigal
7 days of accommodation (from Saturday to Saturday) in twin or double ensuite bedrooms in homely, fully equipped adjacent holiday cottages. Kitchens are set up with breakfast supplies, and all-day teas and coffees. (For participants taking 2 consecutive weeks, the in-between night is free)

Course Price (per person)
€1,550

The Course Venue
On the Wild Atlantic Way (coast) and just 5 minutes walk from Dungloe town centre, our summer school venue is in the Fairgreen Holiday Cottages village. All rooms are ensuite with twin or double beds (which are also booked for single occupation). The cottages have sitting rooms and fully equipped kitchens (so people can choose how they wish to have their evening meals – cooking in or eating out!) Lunches are provided with the courses. (Local children on weeks 2 & 4 are invited to bring packed lunches.)
Afternoon Options
For walks, swims, exploring, shopping, relaxing, practising – Dungloe is a wonderful Donegal town with lots to offer. Closely located to Glenveagh National Park and Mount Errigal, Donegal’s most spectacular mountain surrounded by an exceptional area of natural beauty and nature conservation, and there is a superb range of walks for everyone from seasoned hikers to leisurely wanderers. On Wednesday, we have an afternoon off to take a trip to the park, or the mountain, or a boat trip to the island of Arranmore with dolphin and whale spotting with seabirds and sandy beaches.

An Chúirt Cruitireachta | Harp Festival 2025
2025-06-29 08:00 - 2025-07-04 17:00 (Europe/Dublin) | An Grianán, Termonfechin, Louth
Cairde na Cruite International Harp Festival
Sunday 29th June – Friday 4th July 2025.
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland, in partnership with Cairde na Cruite, is pleased to sponsor two harpers a grant of €200 each towards An Chúirt Chruitireachta, the International Festival for Irish Harp in An Grianán, Termonfechin, Co Louth. This five-day annual harp festival provides a unique opportunity for harpers to gain expert tuition from a range of internationally renowned harpers, immerse themselves within the tradition and meet and socialise with other harpers. Find out more here.
Book here.

Live at Rathfarnham Castle
2025-06-29 15:00 | Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin, D14 K3T6
Live at Rathfarnham Castle
Ruth O’Hara (harp) and Martina Rosaria O’Connell (flute)
29 June 2025
Enjoy an afternoon of exquisite French music including renowned works by Fauré, Debussy and Saint-Saëns.
Book on eventbrite, Free admission, booking essential.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1399305232619

Programme:

Sicilienne Op. 78 – Fauré
Berceuse – ‘Dolly Suite’ – Fauré
Arabesque No. 1 – Debussy
La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin – Debussy
Clair de Lune, (solo harp) – ‘Suite Bergamasque’- Debussy
Syrinx, (solo flute) – Debussy
En Bateau – ‘Petite Suite’ – Debussy
Romance Op. 37 – Saint-Saëns

Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2025
2025-07-05 - 2025-07-13 | Miltown Malbay, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, Ireland
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, The Willie Clancy Summer School, a major traditional Irish music, song and dance event held annually in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Ireland with instrument and dance classes, lectures, workshops, recitals and céilithe all through the week.
Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland, in partnership with Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, is pleased to sponsor two harpers to attend the Willie Clancy Summer School to support the rapidly growing interest in Irish harping at Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy; the week-long traditional music summer school in Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare, taking place this year between 5th and 13th of July.

Janet Harbison Donegal Ireland Harp Summer School Week 2
2025-07-06 - 2025-07-12 | Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Music on the Farm Concerts - Harp Ensemble Extravaganza
2025-07-06 15:00 | Cornstown House Farm, Cornstown, Ashbourne, Meath, A84 N512
Harp Ensemble Extravaganza
Join us for a fun afternoon of harp ensemble music performing a variety of Irish traditional, folk and classical repertoire!
Our concert series features performances of classical, traditional and jazz music in a unique, old world setting. Each concert features talented musicians who bring their unique sounds and styles to our stage. From classical to trad and lots in between, the ‘Music on the Farm’ series offers a diverse line-up that showcases each musician’s individual style and skill. They have performed for presidents and kings and now perform for you!
Set against the background of a diverse farm in the country, these concerts are a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Our barn, now known as ‘The Long House’, once a bustling hub of farm activity, has been lovingly transformed into a quaint and inviting space that retains its original character and charm. Why not come and say hello to the menagerie of friendly alpacas and their friends after the concert and enjoy a stroll in nature around the farm?
Join us at “Music on the Farm” and let the music of internationally acclaimed musicians transport you to a world where you can relax and unwind and live in the moment. It’s an afternoon of music, community, and celebration that you won’t want to miss. We look forward to sharing this magical experience with you.

Janet Harbison Donegal Ireland Harp Summer School Week 3
2025-07-13 - 2025-07-19 | Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Belfast Tradfest
2025-07-28 - 2025-08-01 | Belfast, Co Antrim
Belfast TradFest includes a variety of events for all ages including masterclasses, concerts, talks, lectures, sessions, céilís, solo highland piping competition, festival clubs & more.
This year’s festival includes Harp Workshops by Catriona McKay, Gráinne Hambly & Ciara Ní Tháth.

Harps Together
2025-08-01 21:00 - 22:30 | St. Ronan’s Hall, Keadew West, County Roscommon, Keadue, Co. Roscommon, F52 N928, Ireland
Harps Together Concert at the O’Carolan Harp Festival, Keadue
Cormac de Barra & Anne-Marie O’Farrell, Laoise Kelly, and local Roscommon harpers.
Friday 1 August, 9pm
St Ronan’s Hall, Keadue
Tickets at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ocarolanharpfestival/1688825

Music on the Farm Concerts Scott Flanigan (piano) & Gráinne Meyer (harp)
2025-08-03 15:00 | Cornstown House Farm, Cornstown, Ashbourne, Meath, A84 N512
What happens when two different musical worlds collide? Jazz pianist Scott Flanigan and traditional harpist Gráinne Meyer come together to explore what happens when jazz meets trad!
Harpist and Pianist Gráinne Meyer has recently completed a postgraduate diploma in classical and Irish traditional music at the TU Dublin conservatoire of music, receiving tuition from Clíona Doris, Denise Kelly and Gráinne Hambly. She previously received an honours music degree from the University of York, where she was awarded the Thomas Beecham scholarship.
Scott Flanigan is one of the foremost keyboard players in Ireland. He performs regularly across the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany, and has recently performed with Van Morrison, the Ulster Orchestra, Larry Coryell, Jean Toussaint, Jim Mullen and Linley Hamilton. As a leader, Scott successfully tours his own contemporary piano trio, as well as a hard-swinging organ quartet. He also runs the successful Scott’s Jazz Club in East Belfast, a weekly jazz club bringing the best in Irish jazz to local audiences.
Be prepared to be transported on a journey through time and culture, where Irish melodies meld with the spontaneity of jazz improvisation. Join us for an afternoon of unparalleled harmony as these two remarkable instruments intertwine, creating a unique and mesmerizing musical experience!
Our concert series features performances of classical, traditional and jazz music in a unique, old world setting. Each concert features talented musicians who bring their unique sounds and styles to our stage. From classical to trad and lots in between, the ‘Music on the Farm’ series offers a diverse line-up that showcases each musician’s individual style and skill. They have performed for presidents and kings and now perform for you!
Set against the background of a diverse farm in the country, these concerts are a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Our barn, now known as ‘The Long House’, once a bustling hub of farm activity, has been lovingly transformed into a quaint and inviting space that retains its original character and charm. Why not come and say hello to the menagerie of friendly alpacas and their friends after the concert and enjoy a stroll in nature around the farm?
Join us at “Music on the Farm” and let the music of internationally acclaimed musicians transport you to a world where you can relax and unwind and live in the moment. It’s an afternoon of music, community, and celebration that you won’t want to miss. We look forward to sharing this magical experience with you.

Dublin City Fleadh
2025-08-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Puball Éigse, Smithfield Square, Ireland
Catch our harp performance on 4-5pm August 23rd at Puball Éigse at Dublin City Fleadh with harpers Luke Webb, Rachael Dooley, Emer Ní Scolaí, and Cormac De Barra.

Harps for Heritage: Sharing the Tunes
2025-08-24 12:30 - 17:00 | Muckross Schoolhouse, Muckross Schoolhouse, The National Park, Dromyrourk, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Experience Irish music and dance live and take part in a fun and family-friendly afternoon with Irish harpers and their friends. Join Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland in the beautiful surroundings of Muckross Schoolhouse. Try your hand at playing the harp – no experience needed and all are welcome! Hear tips of the trade from harpmaker Tim O’Carroll and listen to harpers, pipers and whistle players as they share stories about their earliest musical memories – how they learned, how tunes are passed down from generation to generation and how musicians make them their own. The afternoon finishes with a concert from Ireland’s finest harpers and musicians, including Irish harpers Kathleen Loughnane, Catríona Cannon and Deirdre Granville with Cormac Cannon (uilleann pipes), Aoife Granville (flute), Seán Ryan (whistle) and Caitríona Finnegan (cello).
Venue: Muckross Schoolhouse, Muckross House, Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, V93 CK73
Date: Sunday 24th August, 12.30-5pm
Programmme
12.30-1.30pm Hands on Harps – Have a Go!
1.45-2.30pm Crafting a Harp with Tim O’Carroll.
2.45-3.30pm Delving Deeply: Musicians chat about how they pass tunes from generation to generation
3.45pm Concert Harps for Heritage 2025: Sharing the Tunes
Admission free, register here.

Electric Picnic
2025-08-29 19:00 - 2025-08-31 00:00 | Stradbally, Laois, Ireland
We are thrilled to be programming three nights of our foremost harpers at Electric Picnic – a first for Harp Ireland.
Be sure to join us at Croí, Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August, 7pm – 12am.

DAY
TIME
ARTIST

Friday 29th Aug
7pm – 7.40pm
Jennifer Leahy

8pm – 8.40pm
Luke Webb

9pm – 9.40pm
Niamh O’Brien

10pm – 10.40pm
Aisling Lyons

11pm – 12am
Alannah Thornburgh
Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta

Saturday Aug 30th
7pm – 7.40pm
Catriona Cannon and Kathleen Loughnane

8pm – 8.40pm
Donnchadh Hughes

9 – 9.40pm
Úna Ní Fhlannagáin

10 – 10.40pm
Michelle Mulcahy

11pm – 12am
Cormac De Barra
Anne-Marie O’Farrell

Sunday 31st Aug
7pm – 7.40pm
Eilis Lavelle

8pm – 8.40pm
Gráinne Hambly

9pm – 9.40pm
Colm McGonigle

10pm – 10.40pm
Deirdre Granville

11pm – 12am
Siobhán Buckley (MG Laois), Deirdre Ní Bhuachalla (MG Louth),
Gráinne Hambly (MG Mayo),
Jill Devlin (MG Waterford),
Rachel Duffy

Harps Alive | An Chruit Bheo
2025-09-06 - 2025-09-12 | Co. Donegal
Harps Alive| An Chruit Bheo takes place Sept 6-14th in Limerick, Tralee, Castlebar, Dublin and Wexford.
Sept 8th – 14th
Harp exchange between Coolcappa National School Limerick and St Johnʼs Parochial School Tralee with harper Niamh OʼBrien
Try your Hand on Harps; harper Fiana Ní Chonaill in partnership with Irish Chamber Orchestra Music Education project at St. Mary’s Limerick and Southhill
Hands on Harps with Luke Webb at Various schools in North Dublin Shools
Harping Fun: A Harp, Storytelling, Drama and Singing Workshop for children with Sharon Carroll at Loreto Primary School Wexford.
Saturday 6th Sept
Try your Hand on Early Irish Harp with Eibhlis Ní Riordáinat Pearse St Library and Greystones Library.

Saturday 13th Sept
Hugh Higgins: A Mayo Harper and his Music by harper Laoise Kelly at National Library of Ireland.

Sunday 14th Sept at Linen Hall Art Centre, Castlebar
Harps Alive|An Chruit Bheo: Music Generation Harp Collective together with renowned harpers, Michael Rooney, Gráinne Hambly, Gráinne Meyer, Cormac de Barra and Aisling Lyons
Saturday 20th Sept in the Sugar Club
Sugar Club Harp Sessions: Úna Monaghan, Éanna Monaghan and Paddy Glackin in concert.

Reverb by Luail, featuring Lisa Canny
2025-09-11 00:00 - 2025-10-05 00:00 | Multiple Locations
Movement and melody collide in an electrifying celebration of legacy, live music, and movement by choreographer Sarah Golding with music by multi-instrumentalist Lisa Canny. This high-energy performance combines powerful physicality with spellbinding vocals and composition, exploring the ways in which our actions ripple through time and leave their mark.
With Canny’s signature mix of traditional and modern sounds driving the dancers, every beat tells a powerful story, blending past and present in a raw, emotional experience. Get ready for a performance where rhythm lives, tradition breathes, and every moment and movement resonates.
Choreography: Sarah Golding
Cast: Luail Company Dancers
Composer: Lisa Canny
Musicians: Josh Sampson, Laura Doherty & Lisa Canny
Stage Design: Katie Davenport
Lighting Design: Ciaran Bagnall
Costume Design: Laura Fajardo Castro

TOUR DATES

11th September 2025 – Civic Theatre, Tallaght

12th September 2025 – Civic Theatre, Tallaght

17th September 2025 – The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh

19th September 2025 – An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk

22nd September 2025 – Backstage Theatre, Longford

24th September 2025 – Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge

30th September 2025 – Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo

02nd October 2025 – The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar

10th October 2025 – Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick Presented by Bualadh Bos Children’s Festival

Hugh Higgins: A Mayo Harper and his Music with harper Laoise Kelly
2025-09-13 14:30 - 15:30 | National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Join acclaimed harper Laoise Kelly for an afternoon exploring the life and legacy of Hugh Higgins, the blind harper from County Mayo who was one of eleven harpers to perform at the landmark 1792 Belfast Harp Festival. In this lecture, Laoise Kelly sheds light on Higgins’ musical style, his place within the harping tradition, and the tunes attributed to him in the early collections of Edward Bunting, who transcribed many of the tunes performed at the festival. This is a rare opportunity to delve into the story of one of Ireland’s tradition-bearers, brought to life and performed by one of today’s most celebrated harpers.
Date: 13th September
Time: 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Venue: Joly Theatre, National Library of Ireland

Harps Alive | An Chruit Bheo at The Linenhall Castlebar
2025-09-14 17:00 - 19:00 | Linenhall Arts Centre, Linenall Street, Knockthomas, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 AN24, Ireland
Join us for an evening of music that brings together some of Ireland’s finest harpers in a celebration of tradition, creativity, and connection. Experience the artistry of Mayo’s own Gráinne Hambly alongside Aisling Lyons, Gráinne Meyer, Cormac de Barra, and Michael Rooney, joined by Castlebar favourites, the Music Generation Harp Collective. Together they will create a vibrant blend of sound, tradition, and creative exchange, highlighting the harp as a living symbol of connection.
Date: Sunday 14th September
Time: 5:00pm
Venue: The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar

The Ploughing Championships
2025-09-17 | Screggan, Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland
The Triad Harp Trio: Rachel Duffy, Fiona Gryson and Síofra Ní Dhubhghaill
All three harpers will be performing throughout the day and will be facilitating ‘Hands on Harps’ where attendees will have the opportunity to try out the harp. We will be set up in the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Marquee on Wednesday September 17th.

The Sugar Club Harp Sessions | Úna Monaghan, Éanna Monaghan & Paddy Glackin
2025-09-20 20:00 - 22:00 | The Sugar Club, 8 Leeson Street Lower, Dublin, D02 ET97, Ireland
The Sugar Club Harp Sessions feature the most exciting harpers – some with friends – who are pushing the boundaries of Irish harping.
Our Sugar Club Harp Sessions concert on Saturday 20th September features Úna Monaghan, Éanna Monaghan and Paddy Glackin.
Renowned harper, composer and sound artist Úna Monaghan blends harp and electronics in a performance featuring a compelling range of works from two decades of exploration involving motion sensors, processed harp, synthesis, tape pieces, samples, improvisation, and Irish traditional music. Úna is joined by bassoonist Éanna Monaghan and fiddle player Paddy Glackin. Together, they showcase the sound world and character of these instruments, performing excerpts from Úna’s unique large-scale work on Hurling, and a new composition for harp, bassoon, fiddle, and electronics.
Belfast born Úna Monaghan is a harper, composer, researcher and sound artist working in Ireland and internationally. She collaborates, improvises and performs with poets, visual artists, computers, writers, musicians, and others. Úna also works as a sound engineer specialising in Irish traditional music, and experimental, live electronic and multichannel music worldwide. She has released two albums of her compositions, most recently Aonaracht, for solo traditional musicians and electronics. Úna received the inaugural Liam O’Flynn Award from the Arts Council of Ireland and the National Concert Hall Dublin and also held the Rosamund Harding Research Fellowship in Music at Newnham College, University of Cambridge from 2016-2019. She is a lecturer in Sound and Music at Queen’s University Belfast, where her research examines the intersections between Irish traditional music, experimental music practices, improvisation and interactive technologies.
Éanna Monaghan is a bassoonist from Belfast, currently based in London. He has studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and with Valentino Zucchiatti in Milan. He enjoys an international performance career working with the BBC Concert Orchestra, English National Opera, the BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, English Touring Opera and the London Contemporary Orchestra. Additionally, he works regularly in Ireland, performing with the Ulster Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, Irish National Opera, Irish Chamber Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he is a member of The Belfast Ensemble. He has received awards from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Music Network.
Fiddle player Paddy Glackin is from Dublin. His father, Tom, was from County Donegal and was a noted fiddler who had a significant influence on Paddy’s style. Paddy has also been inspired by John Doherty, the Donegal travelling fiddle player and by others such as John Kelly, Tommy Potts and Pádraig O’Keeffe. Paddy was senior all-Ireland champion fiddle player at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann at age nineteen. He was a member of the traditional music group ‘Seachtar’ and then of ‘The Bothy Band’ in the 1970s. He was also a member of ‘Ceoltóirí Laighean’ recording two albums with them. Having spent some time as Traditional Music Officer with the Arts Council, he moved to broadcasting with RTÉ. Although his preference is for solo playing, he has joined forces with numerous musicians such as Paddy Keenan, Dónal Lunny, Robbie Hannan and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill and has also recorded with John Cage and Jolyon Jackson. His first solo album ‘Glackin: Ceol ar an bhFidil’ was released in 1977 and he was the recipient of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year award in 2022. Paddy was awarded an honorary Doctorate from UCD in 2022.
Tickets available at www.eventbrite.ie/

Irish Harping: Heritage and Hereafter ICTMD Harp Symposium
2025-09-25 | University of Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Join us on Thursday, 25 September, at University of Galway, Ireland.
This symposium is a collaboration between Harp Ireland, the International Council for Traditions of Music & Dance (ICTMD) Ireland and the School for English, Media & Creative Arts, University of Galway. Keynote speaker Professor Ann Buckley (Trinity College Dublin).
Programme available here.

Harps in Castles - Kathleen Loughnane, Catriona Cannon, Cormac Cannon and Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha
2025-09-25 19:30 - 21:30 | Claregalway Castle, Claregalway, Galway, H91 E9T3, Ireland
Rooted in the living traditions of Irish music and poetry, this special evening brings together some of Ireland’s most respected voices and musicians.
Kathleen Loughnane is celebrated for her evocative arrangements of traditional Irish music and her pioneering research into historic Irish harper composers. A founding member of Dordán, she has toured internationally and released six acclaimed albums.
Catriona Cannon, harper and archivist, blends her classical training with a wide range of influences, having toured Europe with reggae band Intinn and collaborated across genres.
Cormac Cannon, uilleann piper and whistle player, carries forward the piping traditions of the West with soulful ornamentation, rhythmic lift, and a deep reverence for the old style.
Adding a powerful voice of scholarship and poetry, Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha, Poet and Professor of Old and Middle Irish and Celtic Philology at NUI Galway, will recite on the night.
Together, they weave music, words, and history into an evening that honours Ireland’s cultural roots. This promises to be a night not to be missed.

Celebrating the Early Harp with Maria Cleary and Tara Viscardi
2025-09-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Saint Mary’s Cathedral Limerick
Join us for an unforgettable evening of harp music in the historic surroundings of St. Mary’s Cathedral, featuring two exceptional harp players, Maria Christina Cleary and Tara Viscardi, in a celebration of early harp music from the European and Irish traditions.
Dublin born Maria Christina Cleary is a world-renowned pioneer of period harp performance, praised for her virtuosity, improvisation, and basso continuo artistry. With a career spanning international solo appearances and collaborations with leading early music ensembles, Maria brings centuries-old harp traditions vividly to life.
Tara Viscardi, hailing from the Beara Peninsula, is an award-winning harper whose performances combine Irish traditional, classical, and baroque influences. A 2024 UK Harp Association Emerging Artist, she has played on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, from Wigmore Hall to the World Harp Congress.
Across the evening, Maria and Tara will each perform a selection from the repertoire of the early harp, offering audiences a rare chance to experience the early harp’s expressive range in the soaring acoustics of the stunning St. Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick.
Date: Saturday 27th September
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Bridge Street, Limerick, Ireland, V94 E068

Music on the Farm Concerts - Les Masques: Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington (flute), Arnaud Ghillebaert (viola), Rosanna Moore (harp)
2025-10-05 15:00 | Cornstown House Farm, Cornstown, Ashbourne, Meath, A84 N512
Les Masques: Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington (flute), Arnaud Ghillebaert (viola), Rosanna Moore (harp)
Internationally-renowned trio, Les Masques have prepared an exciting and uplifting programme of classical music for flute, viola and harp. Not to be missed.
Our concert series features performances of classical, traditional and jazz music in a unique, old world setting. Each concert features talented musicians who bring their unique sounds and styles to our stage. From classical to trad and lots in between, the ‘Music on the Farm’ series offers a diverse line-up that showcases each musician’s individual style and skill. They have performed for presidents and kings and now perform for you!
Set against the background of a diverse farm in the country, these concerts are a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Our barn, now known as ‘The Long House’, once a bustling hub of farm activity, has been lovingly transformed into a quaint and inviting space that retains its original character and charm. Why not come and say hello to the menagerie of friendly alpacas and their friends after the concert and enjoy a stroll in nature around the farm?
Join us at “Music on the Farm” and let the music of internationally acclaimed musicians transport you to a world where you can relax and unwind and live in the moment. It’s an afternoon of music, community, and celebration that you won’t want to miss. We look forward to sharing this magical experience with you.

Music in Calary – Triona and Thomas Charles Marshall
2025-10-10 20:00 - 22:00 | Calary Church, Calary Church, Wicklow
Music in Calary is delighted to welcome back famous Irish harpist Triona Marshall together with her brother, Thomas Charles Marshall who plays the Satsuma Biwa and performs traditional Japanese singing. They will play a concert in Calary Church at 8 pm on Friday 10 October.
Triona and Thomas have been invited to perform at the opening of the new Irish Embassy in Tokyo and their programme will be a tribute to the life of Lafcadio Hearn, the Irish writer who spent the latter part of his life in Japan,
As usual, the concert will begin at 8 pm with free parking available. If you would like to book tickets or for further information, please email derekneilson11@gmail,com or phone (01) 2818118. Tickets for the concert are €18 and €15 for concessions and may be paid for by cash, cheque or card at the door. Music in Calary would like to thank Wicklow County Council for their support in enabling us to put on this concert.
Date: Friday 10 October
Time: 8pm
Venue: Calary Church, Calary Upper, Kilmacanoge, Co. Wicklow
Tickets: €18/€15 derekneilson11@gmail,com or phone (01) 2818118

Lá na Cruite|Harp Day: Amhráin, Cláirseach agus Dánta
2025-10-11 15:30 - 17:00 | Greystones Library, Mill Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, A63 KN52, Ireland
Join local Greystones musician and multi-award winning sean-nós singer and harpist Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin for a wonderful free afternoon concert of harpers’ songs, traditional Irish songs, music and poetry in Greystones Library on Saturday 11th October from 3.30-4.30pm. Following on from her very well-received concerts at Greystones library on Culture Night in 2023 and Harp Day in 2024, Eibhlís has been invited back again to the library to give a concert as part of Ireland’s National Harp Day celebrations (Harp Day itself takes place on 18th October).
Eibhlís, whose performance has been described as “the purest of the pure drop”, will accompany her singing of some of the songs, including songs by Turlough O’Carolan and other harper – composers of the 17th and 18th centuries, on the cláirseach (early Irish brass-wire strung harp). She will also sing, unaccompanied, some of the beautiful, traditional Irish ‘sean-nós’ songs from Munster, from where she originally hails. The audience will be encouraged to sing along in many of the songs (song lyrics and translations will be provided in the programme notes). The songs will also be interspersed with some atmospheric poetry by Irish poets (English and Irish language).
About Eibhlís:
Eibhlís researches and sings the Déise (east Munster) sean-nós song repertory. Uniquely, she also researches, reconstructs and performs the much-neglected, and seminal, 17th- and 18th-century harpers’ song repertory to her own early Irish harp accompaniment, on her replica old Irish harp. Her harp, made for her this year by harp maker Kevin Harrington, is a beautiful copy of the early 18th century County Wicklow harp, the ‘Hollybrook Harp’, which is now held at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, Dublin.
Recent concerts by Eibhlís include: Scoil na gCláirseach solo concert ‘Tobar an Dúchais’ in July ’24; Scoil na gCláirseach Gala Concert ‘Masters of Irish Music’ at Kilkenny Castle in July ‘23; Harp Ireland’s National Harp Day Concert, Liberty Hall, Dublin in October 2022. She has also performed for the President at Áras on Uachtaráin on a number of occasions. Earlier this year Eibhlís sang in a performance of the renowned composer Benjamin Dwyer’s ‘SacrumProfanum’ in the London Irish Centre. She also features on the RTE documentary ‘Trinity’s Treasures’, airing later this year. Also a highly experienced music educator, Eibhlís (MA (Hons 1), B.Mus, LTCL), regularly tutors in harp and voice for the Historical Harp Society of Ireland, at Scoil na gCláirseach (Festival of Early Irish Harp) and Acadamh na gCláirseach (Academy of Early Irish Harp Online). She facilitates (early Irish) harp workshops and gives talks about the early Irish harp nationally, for the Historical Harp Society of Ireland and for Harp Ireland / Cruit Éireann. She also teaches classical piano at her home in Greystones, Co. Wicklow.
Her sean-nós song and harp-song CD, ‘An Buachaillín Bán’, has been described as “one of the top trad albums of the last year”

Lá na Cruite|Harp Day: Harpers in the Honan
2025-10-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Honan Chapel, UCC, College Road, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 VH32, Ireland
UCC TradSoc, in collaboration with Harp Ireland|Cruit Éireann is delighted to announce the return of our “Harpers in the Honan” concert, on Tuesday the 14th of October at 7.30pm. This year features the harp/box duo of Oisín Morrison & Tommie Cunniffe, alongside harper and vocalist Aisling Urwin.
Date: 14th October 2025
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Honan Chapel, Ireland, T12 VH32
Tickets: Reserve your seat here

Lá na Cruite|Harp Day: Causeway Harp School and Hampsey Harp School
2025-10-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Garvagh Community Building, Garvagh Community Building, 85 Main Street, Garvagh, BT51 5AB, BT51 5AB, Ireland
Join Causeway Harp School and Hamsey Harp School in their celebration of Lá na Cruite|Harp Day 2025 for a day of workshops for all levels, followed by performances in The Pantry at Garvagh Community Buildings. Booking is essential.
Venue: Garvagh Community Building, 85 Main Street, Garvagh, BT51 5AB
Date: 18th October 2025
Time: 10am
Booking: Contact Claire 07810204976 or Katy 07400991270

Lá na Cruite|Harp Day: Aisling Lyons in glór Ennis
2025-10-18 14:30 - 15:30 | Glór, Ennis, Co Clare, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland
Aisling Lyons, multi-award winning musician and composer from County Clare 2.30pm in the foyer of glór theatre, Ennis. Aisling has been described as one of traditional music’s finest musicians by Hot Press magazine, and the finest Irish harper at work today by Songlines magazine after the release of her debut album Aistear.
Date: 18th October 2025
Time: 2:30pm
Venue: glór, Causeway Link, Clonroad Beg, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 VHP0
Tickets: Free Admission

Lá na Cruite|Harp Day: Michael Rooney & June McCormack, Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble, Rachael Dooley
2025-10-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Oriel Centre, Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol, Carrickmacross Rd, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland A91 HD70, Dundalk, Ireland
Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland and Music Generation Louth present an evening of harping to celebrate Lá na Cruite, Harp Day 2025 on Saturday October 18th.
Returning to The Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol are Monaghan composer Michael Rooney and flute player June McCormack. They will be joined by the Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble and solo harper Rachael Dooley.
This event is supported by the Louth County arts office at Louth County Council.[/caption]
Date: 18th October 2025
Time: 8pm
Venue: Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol, Carrickmacross Rd, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland A91 HD70
Ticket Link: Oriel Centre Website
