Harp Ireland

Michael Rooney & Altan at Belfast TradFest
2024-02-23 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Dublin) | Empire Music Hall, 42 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1JQ, Ireland
Michael Rooney & Altan at Belfast TradFest
Friday 23rd February, 7pm
Empire Music Hall
Altan, a leading force in traditional Irish music for nearly 40 years, was founded by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy in the early 1980s to be later joined by Daíthí Sproule (guitar), Ciaran Curran (bouzouki), Mark Kelly (guitar), Martin Tourish (accordion). Their music, ranging from energetic dance tunes to soulful songs, reflects the depth and richness of Irish heritage. Altan’s global popularity, having toured the world over, has earned them an Irish postal stamp and recognition from Donegal County Council.
With award-winning recordings and new member Clare Friel (fiddle), they continue to thrive and share their culture worldwide. Their traditional approach and integrity have earned praise from renowned sources, solidifying their status as Celtic music pioneers.
TG4 Composer of the Year 2017, Michael Rooney grew up in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan and now lives in Sligo where he has become part of the musical and cultural bedrock of the region. He is recognised as one of the most influential and innovative stylists on the harp, and his virtuosic technique as well as his approach to rhythm and harmony have helped to reposition it as a popular and integral part of the living tradition.
He is also established as a significant composer of music for small and large-scale ensembles & orchestras and 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).

Belfast TradFest Winter Weekend
2024-02-23 - 2024-02-25 | Belfast
Belfast TradFest Winter Weekend: 23-25th February 2024

Belfast will come alive to the sounds of traditional music once again with concerts, workshops, sessions, and talks during the Belfast TradFest 3rd annual Winter Weekend, throughout Belfast UNESCO City of Music. Taking place 23rd – 25th February and supported by Belfast City Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Ulster University and Dunville’s Irish Whiskey, the festival programme is filled with internationally renowned talent in traditional Irish and Scottish music, song and dance.
For the opening concert, Donegal songstress Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh brings her fantastic band Altan back to Belfast to play the stunning Empire Music Hall on Friday 23rd February. Also on the bill that evening, Monaghan Harp maestro Michael Rooney plays a rare solo set in the city famed for its Harp Festival of 1792.
Longtime Tyrone resident, fiddler Bríd Harper is being celebrated with a family friendly concert on Saturday 24th February in the Mandela Hall, featuring the cream of traditional musicians and singers such as Australian guitarist Steve Cooney, Donegal accordion wizard Dermot Byrne, Breton flute player Sylvain Barou, singer Rita Gallagher and many more.
The Songs of Shane MacGowan will be celebrated and performed by a selection of some of our finest singers featuring Andrew Hendy & Finnian O’Connor (of The Mary Wallopers), Monaghan songstress Dani Larkin, Lough Neagh singer Niall Hanna, Belfast’s own Duke Special, Crossmaglen rising star Piaras Ó Lorcáin, County Derry’s Jack Warnock and Castlewellan native Múlú. Connecting the sound and spirit of punk with his traditional Irish roots, MacGowan created one of the most distinctive sounds of the past 40 years and Belfast TradFest are delighted to present these songs with some of Ulster and Ireland’s finest traditional, folk and contemporary singers.
Other highlights feature concerts with Ciarán & Caitlín, Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and a full programme of Festival Club events with acts such as Sligo’s Niamh Farrell, Jos Kelly and Cillian Doheny.
Belfast TradFest Winter Weekend is delighted to host its annual Highland Piping Solo Competition at The Deer’s Head, Sunday 25th February. A selection of Ireland’s top pipers will compete for a place in the renowned MacCrimmon Trophy Competition 2024 that takes place annually at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.
The fantastic new Ulster University building on York Street will host workshops covering all instruments from bodhrán to banjo and smallpipes to singing. Delivered by some of the best traditional musicians from Ireland, Scotland and beyond. Beginners can also join in the fun with classes in Traditional Singing, Sean Nós Singing (unaccompanied singing in Irish) with Róisín Chambers & Gráinne Holland, whistle and sing (Ages 5 plus), Sean Nós Dancing with legendary Conamara dancer Seosamh Ó Neachtáin and set dancing with Ulster’s own Mary Fox.
The festival’s afternoon events will include album launches and a talk by Rev. Gary Hastings – ‘Lambeg Drum and Fife. Traditional Music of Ulster.’ Recently retired as a Rector in the Church of Ireland, Gary’s musical background takes in the traditions of Fermanagh, Donegal and Antrim, and he has written and lectured widely on the  Lambeg and fifing traditions associated with Orangeism.
Join the lively Dunville’s Irish Whiskey Session Trail which will take you across the city to some of Belfast’s oldest and best-loved pubs including Madden’s Bar, The Garrick, The John Hewitt, The Sunflower, The Duke of York and Hatfield House. Sessions are free, and times are staggered so that traditional music fans can fit in as much ‘ceol agus craic’ (music and fun) as possible.
The most influential Irish trad band of all time The Bothy Band are reforming and playing their first Irish concert since 1979, in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall ( sold out) on Sunday 25th February 2024. This concert will be one of the most anticipated in living memory, featuring a who’s who of Irish music; Matt Molloy (The Chieftains), Donal Lunny (Planxty, Moving Hearts), Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (Skara Brae), Kevin Burke (Patrick Street), Paddy Glackin (Ushers Island) and uilleann pipe supremo Paddy Keenan.

Lunchtime Concert: Megan O’Neill & Teresa O’Donnell
2024-02-15 13:00 - 14:00 | O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway, Cappa Villa, University Road, Galway, Galway, H91 T8WR, Ireland
In association with Arts in Action, University of Galway
Megan O’Neill, soprano
Teresa O’Donnell, harp
Songs by Schumann, Ravel and Britten performed by the winner of the 2022 RDS Music Bursary alongside concert harpist Teresa O’Donnell
THE LUNCHTIME SERIES IS SUPPORTED BY SAP
TICKETS
Although these concerts are free, it is advisable to register to avoid disappointment.
Please note that registration for this event will open approximately 7 days before the concert date.
More information here.

DCU Lunchtime Concert Series: Síle Denvir & Barry Kerr
2024-02-14 13:00 - 14:00 | DCU, DCU St Patrick's Campus, Dublin, Dublin, D09 YT18, Ireland
DCU St Patrick’s Campus (Room B118), Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9, D09 YT18
1.10-1.50pm | Free admission | No booking required
BARRY KERR and SÍLE DENVIR are two widely celebrated musicians and together they make a compelling duet, creating music that communicates the beauty of a living tradition. Their repertoire is a sympathetic merging of both traditional and original material, ranging from Síle’s ancient sean-nós songs to Barry’s self-composed modern folk tales. Their instrumental music on uilleann pipes, flute and harp is underpinned by subtle and inventive motif based arrangements. Originally from the southern shores of Lough Neagh, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter, and visual artist Barry is one of Ireland’s most accomplished artists. A master on both uilleann pipes and flute, his recent work has explored the concept of relating musical performance and composition with visual art. Barry was the recipient of the Liam O’Flynn Award in 2020 and was the traditional musician in residence at UCC in 2023. Síle is a harpist and sean-nós singer who is deeply influenced by her upbringing in the Connemara Gaeltacht where she was surrounded by music and song from an early age. Síle has a deep passion for Irish language song, and through her work as an academic at Dublin City University she has honed her knowledge of this song tradition to the highest level, giving her performances an extra layer of depth and understanding. Síle was named Amhránaí na Bliana (singer of the year) in the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil in 2023 and her most recent album Anamnesis, a recording of sean-nós songs in collaboration with producer John Reynolds and cellist Caroline Dale, was also released in 2023.

Gradaim Nós 2024
2024-02-09 19:30 - 21:00 | Co. Donegal
Beidh mór-ócáid bhronnta agus ceolchoirm Ghradaim NÓS ar siúl ar an Aoine, 9ú Feabhra i mBéal Feirste. Comhghairdeas ó chroí leis na cruitirí atá ainmnithe i mbliana:

Albam na Bliana (Amhráin Thraidisiúnta)

Anamnesis – Síle Denvir
Séamus agus Caoimhe – Séamus agus Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta

Físeán na Bliana

Eileanóir a Rún – Síle Denvir

Físeán na Bliana

Anamnesis – Síle Denvir

Nuatheachtaí na Bliana – Gradam Rónáin Mhic Aodha Bhuí

Bláth na hÓige

Banna / Ceoltóir na Bliana

Séamus agus Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta
Síle Denvir

TU Dublin Conservatoire Research Symposium
2024-02-09 | TU DUBLIN, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, Dublin, D07 H6K8, Ireland
TU Dublin Conservatoire’s Research Symposium Series celebrates and highlights the research activities at TU Dublin Conservatoire, and provides an opportunity for staff, students, graduates, and visiting scholars and performers to share their research and practice.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Nicole Grimes, University of California, Irvine, as our guest speaker. The symposium also features papers presented by research students on our Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Music in Performance (DMus) degree programmes.
TU Dublin Conservatoire has developed an active research profile in the areas of musicology, performance, music education and composition. The Conservatoire is also home to the Research Foundation for Music in Ireland. Our staff and students produce a wealth of research outputs that make a significant contribution to our understanding and knowledge of the creative and performing arts.

Schedule:
09:30am-11.00am Session 1 (EQ-118)

Jimmy Goeijenbier: Contemporary Irish Music in the Dublin International Piano Competition: Exploring the
Artistic Processes of Preparing for Performance
Fiona Gryson: ‘Tutor for the Irish Harp’ by Mother Attracta Coffey (M. A. C.) as a Source and Pedagogical Text for ‘The Irish Harp Book: a Tutor and Companion’ by Sheila Larchet Cuthbert
Marta Siermantowska: The Development of Jazz Accordion in France

11:00am Tea/Coffee Break
11:30am-12.30pm Session 2 (EQ-119)

Enrica Savigni: Mid-Nineteenth-Century Repertoire for Guitar and Piano:
Original compositions and new transcriptions
Ella Fallon: Chaminade’s London Performances of Élévation and their Reception, 1893-1930

12:30pm-13:15pm Research Students’ Panel Discussion
13:15pm Lunch Break
2:00pm Keynote Address (Concert Hall)

Dr Nicole Grimes, University of California, Irvine
Resonant Revelations: Surmounting Challenges in the Recovery and Discovery of the Music of Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)

3:30pm-5:00pm Session 3 (EQ-015)

Áine Cassidy: Who Wears the Pants? Casting Practices for the Operatic Pageboy
Sandra Oman Farren: Surviving Manon Lescaut: Navigating the Unique Vocal Complexity of Puccini’s Eponymous Heroine
Stephen Kelly: Critics and Mahler’s Timpani

Admission Free.
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tu-dublin-conservatoire-research-symposium-tickets-818150489137

UCC TradFest 2024
2024-02-08 - 2024-02-11 | UCC, College Road, Cork, Cork, Ireland
UCC TradFest is back for another year, bringing a brilliant programme of traditional Irish music to Cork City from the 8th to the 11th of February. The festival kicks off in UCC’s Music Department on Thursday the 8th at 5.15pm with the annual Ó Riada Lecture, this year delivered by Professor Tríona Ní Shíocháin.
On Friday evening all roads will lead to Clancy’s at 7.30pm for the hotly-anticipated “Battle of the Bands”, where trad bands from around the country will take to the stage in the hopes of winning the €500 cash prize and a gig at the renowned Patrick O’ Keeffe festival.
Saturday’s programme is jam-packed, beginning with instrumental workshops from 10am-1pm in UCC’s music department, before a session trail will bring the finest traditional Irish musicians into some of the city’s most loved pubs. The festival’s headline concert features one of the most iconic trios in trad music, Mick, Louise and Michelle Mulcahy, at 7.30pm in the Devere Hall on UCC’s main campus.
The festival programme will come to a conclusion on Sunday at 2pm in the Shtepps, UCC Campus, with “Ceolchoirm na nÓg” a celebration of some of the emerging young talent in Co.Cork, followed by farewell sessions with UCC TradSoc. For the full list of events and details on purchasing tickets, visit our Instagram and Facebook pages, @ucctradfest @ucctradsoc
To find out more visit this link.

Session with the Pipers - Aisling Lyons, Martha Guiney, Brian McNamara & Shauna Mullin
2024-02-06 21:30 - 23:00 | The Cobblestone Pub, 77 King St N, Dublin, Dublin, D07 TP22, Ireland
Na Píobairí Uilleann are delighted to present ‘Session with the Pipers’ in The Cobblestone on Tuesday 6th February at 9:30pm, doors open at 9pm. This month’s line-up features:

Brian McNamara (uilleann pipes)
Aisling Lyons (harp)
Martha Guiney (flute)
Shauna Mullin (song)

Admission is €15 (concession rate €10).Please note that the Cobblestone is an Over 18s Only Venue.
Seating is not allocated and is available on a first come first served basis.
Supported by Arts Council Ireland.
Tickets available here.

Grainne Hambly Harp Workshop at The John Mc Fadden Weekend
2024-02-03 10:00 - 14:00 | Newport National School, Newport, Co. Mayo, F28 ED89, Ireland
Gráinne is from County Mayo, Ireland is an internationally recognised exponent of the Irish harp, and is in great demand as a performer and teacher, both at home and abroad. Gráinne started to play Irish music on the tin whistle at an early age, before moving on to the concertina and later the harp. She lived in Belfast for six years, where she completed a Masters Degree in Musicology, awarded by Queen’s University (1999). Her main research topic was folk music collections and the harp in 18th-century Ireland. She also completed the Graduate Diploma in Education (Music) at the University of Limerick.
Gráinne has been playing professionally as a solo musician for the past 20 years, and has performed on various occasions in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, Colombia, Israel, and Japan, as well as touring extensively in the United States, giving concerts, workshops and masterclasses. She has also toured and recorded with various artists, including the Belfast Harp Orchestra, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann and Irish Christmas In America.
She has attracted glowing praise for her live performances and recorded material, which brilliantly showcase what has been described as her ‘absolute mastery of the Irish harp’. Known for the sensitivity and expressive quality of her air-playing, as well as her dynamic performance of dance tunes, Gráinne’s playing illustrates the full range and scope of this instrument. She specialises in teaching Irish traditional music ‘by ear’ and offers private lessons and intensive tuition options at her home, as well as teaching at various annual summer schools and harp festivals including Scoil Éigse. She is also co-director of Music Generation Mayo Harp Ensemble, a group of 30 young harpers aged 10-18 years.
Gráinne has featured on a number of recordings both as guest artist and accompanist. She has released three critically acclaimed solo CDs, and two books of arrangements. Her most recent collaboration is with Scottish harper William Jackson, with whom she frequently tours. They have released a recording Music from Ireland and Scotland (2009) and published some arrangements for harp ensemble.
Tickets available here

Laoise Kelly Harp Workshop at The John McFadden Weekend
2024-02-03 10:00 - 14:00 | Newport National School, Newport, Co. Mayo, F28 ED89, Ireland
Harp Workshop with Laoise Kelly
Harper Laoise Kelly is from Westport and now lives on Achill Island. She learned her music at home and from great local heroes like John Hoban, Pat Friel, Liam Grealis and Jennie Kilroy. In 2020 she was awarded TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year. She has recorded three solo albums and two duo albums with fiddle player Michelle O’Brien and uilleann piper Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn. Laoise was a founding member of trad groups ‘Bumblebees’, and ‘Fiddletree’, from America, Cape Breton and Scotland who play eight instruments made from the same tree. She collaborates regularly with Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, fiddler Tola Custy, box players Breanndán Begley and Josephine Marsh, fiddler Tara Breen and singer Nell Ní Chróinín. Her harp has brought her all over the world performing and teaching.
“Her right hand fires out tunes with a fluidity, creativity and clarity that has revolutionised the harp as a solo instrument; her left hand is the source of a new voice in the world of accompaniment and groove, rooted in her engagement with the contemporary world of guitar, bouzouki, bodhrán and keyboard while being distinct in its own right. Laoise has made it OK for a harp to sit in the centre of the session and be the heart of the trad band headlining the festival.” – Niall Keegan, Irish World Academy, UL.
Tickets available here

First Fridays: Elaine Hogan and Sheila Garry
2024-02-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Glór, Ennis, Co Clare, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland
First Fridays at glór: Elaine Hogan and Sheila Garry

Harper Elaine Hogan grew up with a love for all types of music but felt a particular pull towards the Irish traditional world. A
graduate of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, she has produced three albums, showcasing her solo work, as well has her collaborations with other musicians. Fiddle player Sheila Garry grew up surrounded by traditional music. She is a graduate of UCC and the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and has also appeared on several albums.
Together, Elaine and Sheila recorded an acclaimed traditional duet album, The Shores of Lough Breda, which they look forward to revisiting in this concert.
Tickets available here.

Féile na Tána
2024-01-29 - 2024-02-02 | Carlingford Heritage Centre, Church Road, Carlingford, Co. Louth, Ireland
Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland at Féile na Tana
CÉHI are delighted to partner with Féile na Tána in February 2024 to present a series of harp events.
On Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th January, Dublin harper Luke Webb will visit a number of schools in the Cooley Peninsula and present a Hands on Harps Schools Workshop.

Join us for Ceolchoirm Coimisiúin na Féile for performances from the Harps Alive Cross Border Harp Ensemble, featuring the TU Dublin and Elver harp ensembles, as well as Peadar Ó Riada, Máire Ní Chéileachair and musicians Zoë Conway & John Mc Intyre.
Not to be missed!
Tickets available here

Síle Denvir - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-28 12:30 - 13:00 | Swords Castle, The Chapel, Bridge Street, Townparks, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 X439, Ireland
Síle Denvir is a sean-nós singer and harpist deeply influenced by her home, the Connemara Gaeltacht in Ireland. Her singing, deeply rooted in the ancient style of sean-nós, carries a global appeal through her ethereal performances. She has collaborated with renowned Irish musicians and is a founding member of the group Líadan. As an academic at Dublin City University, she has extensively researched and published works on Irish song tradition, adding further depth to her performances. Síle’s latest album, “Anamnesis,” recorded with producer John Reynolds and cellist Caroline Dale, was released in 2023. Recently, she was honoured with the title of “Amhránaí na Bliana” (singer of the year) at the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards.

Tickets available here.

Aisling Lyons - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-28 12:30 - 13:00 | Skerries Mills, Townparks, Skerries, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Aisling Lyons is a multi-award winning harper, concertina player, and composer from County Clare. Described by Hot Press Magazine as ‘one of traditional music’s finest musicians’ following the release of her debut album ‘Aistear’ in 2022, she holds 8 All-Ireland titles and has toured around the world from Europe to the U.S, Australia and China. Aisling graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Irish Music from the University of Limerick in 2018 and as a Professional Master of Education in 2021. Currently, she tutors harp at the Irish World Academy, Limerick, and at University College Cork. Aisling is also involved in a collaborative music residency with Glór and Creative Ireland as well as being a member of bands ‘Harpanno’ and ‘3 on the Bund’, who have both released their debut albums. She has been described as ‘one of the rising stars and budding composers of the Irish harp world – rooted in tradition and beautifully inventive’. In 2021, Aisling collaborated with artist Aideen Barry, on ‘Oblivion’ commissioned by Music Network and the Irish Traditional Music Archives, and also performed with Tolu Makay on RTÉ’s ‘Ireland in Music’ & for Michael D. Higgins’ 80th Birthday Celebrations on TG4. Aisling’s debut album ‘Aistear’, supported by Clare County Council, was released in 2021 and has been described as ‘an exceptional CD’ (The Living Tradition), ‘a standout record, flawless’ (Hot Press Magazine), and ‘excellent’ (Folk Radio UK)

Tickets available here.

BRÍDÍN on Tour
2024-01-28 | Co. Donegal
Check out Sligo based harper BRÍDÍN’S tour dates…including our Sugar Club Harp Sessions Concert!
Ballina Arts Centre, Mayo – 17:11/23
Club D’Art, Carlow – 18/11/23
Bree’s Bar, Sligo – 20/11/23
The Sugar Club, Dublin with Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland – 11/01/24
Glór, Ennis – 19/01/24
The Duncairn, Belfast – 26/01/24
Echo Echo Theatre, Derry – 28/01/24

Timothy O’Grady: I Could Read the Sky ft. Cathy Jordan, Louise & Michelle Mulcahy - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-27 20:30 - 22:00 | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Main Street, Naul, Co. Dublin, K32 AY27, Ireland
In the now-classic novel I Could Read the Sky, an old Irishman lies alone in bed in London and remembers a migrant’s life. Haunted by the faces and the land he left behind, he calls forth the bars and boxing booths of England, the potato fields and building sites, the music he played and the woman he loved. An Irish life with echoes of the lives of unregarded migrants everywhere.

This live show brings together words, music and photographs to tell the story. Reader: Timothy O’Grady. Music: Cathy Jordan, Michelle and Louise Mulcahy. Photographs: Steve Pyke.

“The work unrolls with the dignified steadiness of a gorgeous slow air…with stubborn pride in occasional grace notes….People have been trying to read the sky a long time. Rare masterpieces like this help us do it.”
Joseph O’Connor, Irish Times

“[I Could Read the Sky] is an almost indescribably brilliant account of what it is to be an Irish emigre – often lost to their families and references of home. It’s so lyrical, so full of feeling, and although many of the stories are heart-breaking, they’re told without an iota of self-pity. As for the scenes describing music, they’re quite simply the best I have read anywhere, ever.”

Sue Lyons, The Examiner

“O’Grady does not just respond to Pyke’s stark, beautiful photographs: he gives voice to thousands.”
Louise Kennedy

“’I Could Read the Sky’ is more than a concert, more than a show, and more than an experience, it is the truth, and all human life is here.”
– Irish Music Magazine

“…an amazing concert…and the audience responded with standing ovations and tears of sadness and pride.”
– The Examiner

“Tonight was quite something. Billed as a night of words and music, it instead blossomed into a communion of performers and punters.”
– Hot Press

Laoise Kelly - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-27 16:30 - 19:00 | Malahide Castle, Back Road, Malahide Demesne, Malahide, Co. Dublin, K36 YP65, Ireland
Laoise Kelly from Westport, now living on Achill Island, Co .Mayo, is one of Ireland’s leading traditional harpers. Laoise uses a new style of harp playing, combining the techniques of fingerpads in the bass and fingernails in the melody on a thirty-four gut strung Paddy Cafferky harp. Laoise has performed and recorded with the foremost artists in Irish music from The Chieftains to Kate Bush. She represented Ireland at the World Harp Festival in Paraguay. She has 3 critically acclaimed solo albums and is the director of the Achill International Harp Festival. In 2020 Laoise was awarded the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year.
This concert will take place in the Project Room in Malahide Castle’s Visitor Centre. With the beautiful Walled Garden as a backdrop, the Project Room is a stunning location to enjoy one of Ireland’s leading traditional harpers.
Tickets available here.

Oisín Morrison - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-27 12:30 - 13:00 | National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin, D07 XKV4, Ireland
Oisín Morrison, originally from Dublin but now living in Cork, is a talented harper, flute player, piano player, and composer. He has an extensive background in teaching and performing at festivals both in Ireland and abroad, with numerous appearances on television and radio. Oisín has been recognized with various awards, including the prestigious Bonn Óir Sheáin Uí Riada, the Oireachtas, and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Recently, he was honored with the 2020 Visionary scheme by Trad Ireland. During his time as a UCD Ad Astra Performing Arts scholar, he completed his Masters in Irish literature, specializing in the music and song of Turlough O’Carolan. Notable works include the composition of the ‘Clann Lir’ suite in 2016 and his appointment as composer in residence with Cork’s youth group, Ensemble Mhúscraí, where he crafted a suite of music inspired by the poetry of Seán Ó Ríordáin in 2020.

Tickets available here.

Free Trad Harp Workshop with Janet Harbison
2024-01-27 | St. Patrick’s Irish Club, Leamington Spa, St. Patrick's Irish Club, Riverside, Adelaide Road, Leamington Spa, CV32 5AH, United Kingdom
Join Janet Harbison for free trad harp workshops at St. Patrick’s Irish Club, Leamington Spa, on Saturday 27th January 2024
Morning workshop 11am – 1 pm for existing players
Afternoon workshop 2 – 4pm for total beginners.
Harps are provided, or bring your own. Bring a packed lunch if you are attending both workshops.
Hosted by the Leamington branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann

Album Launch: Cuimhní Rúnda
2024-01-26 20:00 | Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Cove Hill, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, F92 C8HD, Ireland
Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh is a singer and musician from Dungiven who inherited a wealth of traditional and folk music from her parents, well-known folk singers, Anne and Francie Brolly. Classically trained, Nodlaig has toured the world performing with leading musicians such as Phil Coulter and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Nodlaig is joined by musicians from across the North West of Ireland.
‘Cuimhní Rúnda’ is Nodlaig’s second solo album and is a journey through the times and places that have inspired her music over the last 20 years.
From the memories hidden in the depths of the Swilly to the strains of the ancient harp in the Roe Valley that echo in Gaelic Scotland, to the emigrants leaving their mark at the top of the Carn, to the artistic reimaging of Narnia at CS Lewis Square.
This compilation of original works hopes to enhance our understanding of place and heritage and entice the visitor to experience first-hand these places of scenic beauty, mystery and lore.

Friday 26th January, 8pm
Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny
Tickets available here , €18 (€15 Early Bird Price)

Alannah Thornburgh - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Castle Hall at Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin 2, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Alannah Thornburgh is an award-winning instrumentalist and composer from the wild west of Ireland, with a focus on traditional Irish harp. Alannah’s music explores her family heritage, reimagining ancient airs and tunes from the Irish harping, American Appalachian, and jazz traditions. This cross-genre interaction and juxtaposition of old melodies with contemporary harmonies and techniques are interwoven throughout her music, described as ‘unforced, fluid, and utterly at home in her own sound’ (The Irish Times).
Alannah’s debut solo single ‘The Front,’ a homage to the late minimalist composer Conor Walsh, was premiered on Seattle’s KEXP to great critical acclaim. She was nominated for two awards at the 2022 and 2021 RTÉ Folk Awards: Best Emerging Artist and Best Folk Instrumentalist. Alannah featured in an RTÉ 1 documentary ‘A Note for Nature’ in collaboration with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Alannah is also a recipient of the Arts Council’s Next Generation Award 21/22. She is a founding member of Alfi, a trio that combines traditional Irish and Appalachian music and song, and they were winners of the 2020 US Embassy Creative Minds Award. Alannah will release both her debut solo album and an album with Alfi in 2023. She has recorded, performed, and collaborated with Anna Mieke, Brían Mac Gloinn (Ye Vagabonds), Lemoncello, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Brigid Mae Power, David Keenan, Tristan Scroggins, Conor Caldwell, Gareth Quinn Redmond, and Varo.

Michelle Mulcahy - Tradfest 2024
2024-01-26 16:30 - 19:00 | Malahide Castle, Back Road, Malahide Demesne, Malahide, Co. Dublin, K36 YP65, Ireland
Michelle Mulcahy has redefined the contemporary harp landscape with remarkable musicianship. With accolades like TG4 Young Musician of the Year (2006) and Female Musician of the Year, her solo album “Suaimhneas” gained international recognition. Collaborating with American label Shanachieand Irish label Cló-Iar Chonnacht, Michelle’s albums are celebrated. In 2017, her album with collaborators Louise and Mick Mulcahy, “The Reel Note” earned TradConnects Traditional Album of the Year. In 2023, Michelle, Mick, and Louise received the TG4 Gradam Ceoil award for their contribution to Irish traditional music. A scholar with a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology, her 2023 solo harp release “Lady on the Island” is hailed ‘as one of the most important recordings in recent Irish music history’ (Siobhan Long, Irish Times).
This concert will take place in the Project Room in Malahide Castle’s Visitor Centre. With the beautiful Walled Garden as a backdrop, the Project Room is a stunning location to see one of Irelands’ finest traditional musicians.
Tickets Available here.

Young Harpers' Forum Meeting
2024-01-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Meeting
The Young Harpers’ Forum will meet for the second time on Wednesday 24th January on Zoom at 7pm. We’ll be in touch shortly with a link and more information.
To find out more about the Young Harpers’ Forum get in touch with Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland at info@harpireland.ie

Lisa Canny on Tour
2024-01-24 08:00 - 23:30 | Co. Donegal
Tickets Available: https://www.lisacanny.com/tour

Manchester Harp Festival
2024-01-19 - 2024-01-20 | Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Anne-Marie O’Farrell is set to perform at the inaugural Manchester harp festival later this month. Good luck from everyone at Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland!

FRIDAY 19 JANUARY
1.30pm: Free lunchtime harp recital from Students of Chetham’s School of Music
7.30pm: Opening Night Recital with Louise Thomson, Marie Leenhardt, Anne Marie O’Farrell and Esther Swift.

SATURDAY 20 JANUARY
9am onward: Live finals of the Manchester Harp Competition
2.30 – 3.30pm: Demonstrations of Harp•E, super sleek electro-acoustic instruments, which won the Red Dot Design Award and are sold by SALVI Harps. They are played by both classical and experimental musicians on the world’s biggest stages.
7.30pm: Headlining performance by Anneleen Lenaerts
The festival is generously sponsored by Salvi Music, London, who will be exhibiting their beautiful collection of both Salvi and Lyon & Healy harps for you to try out throughout the day.

NPU Notes and Narratives: Helen Lawlor
2024-01-16 08:00 - 17:00 | Co. Donegal
Join Helen Lawlor and Na Píobairí Uilleann this Thursday 18th January for:

“Emigration, Identity & Culture Building: Irish Symbolism in Irish-American Song Sheets”
From the mid 19th century Irish emigrants arrived to the USA in waves of post-famine emigration. Ireland almost immediately became mythologised and romanticised as the land now out of reach: physically, politically and emotionally. This talk and performance will trace the changing fate of the Irish as a socio-cultural and political group in the USA of growing importance through the mid 19th to early 20th century. Popular Irish symbolism including the harp and icons of Gaelic culture were adopted by song writers in Vaudeville, Tin-Pan Alley and commercial publishing houses to reflect on the Irish experience in the USA.
This talk will draw on the song sheet collection housed at the Princess Grace Irish Library, Monaco to illustrate the presentation of Irishness in the USA with performance of songs from the collection by Helen and Dubh Linn: Ray, Aido & Fionnuala Lawlor.
Notes & Narratives will take place at Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1, starting at 8:30pm on Thursday 18th January 2024. Admission is €10 (unwaged / student / retired €5). For those unable to attend in person, it will also be live streamed for free through our channel NPU-TV.
Na Píobairí Uilleann presents Notes & Narratives – a series of monthly performance-based lectures on traditional music, song and dance by some of Ireland’s finest traditional artists.
Supported by The Arts Council.

€10
Tickets available here

The Sugar Club Harp Sessions | Brídín
2024-01-11 19:30 - 21:30 | The Sugar Club, 8 Leeson Street Lower, Dublin, D02 ET97, Ireland
Thursday 11th January, 7.30pm
The Sugar Club, Dublin
Tickets available here
Experience a new ‘take’ on Irish harping from some of our foremost young harpers. Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland’s Sugar Club Harp Sessions run throughout 2024 and feature innovative, cutting-edge Irish harp performances from a variety of players, pushing the boundaries of the tradition in new and exciting ways.
First up on Thursday January 11th is BRÍDÍN, a contemporary folk harper, singer and composer from Sligo, who has developed a unique style influenced by her natural surroundings and rooted in a traditional music background.
BRIDÍN combines her loop and effect pedals with layered melodies on harp and voice together with fiddle, keyboard, electric guitar, bass and pulsating drums. A frequent performer at TradFest, BRÍDÍN has been nominated for the RTÉ Folk Awards, and has over the years performed on The Late Late Show, Ireland AM and The Tommy Tiernan Show.
“Absolutely amazing performer! Great music, so breathtaking when live, she is one of a kind”
“And if you want to hear a fine example of the harp in the contemporary folk music of Ireland, then listen to Ocean of Stars, the new EP by Brídín.” Richard Hillingum, Folk Radio
Sligo-native BRÍDÍN carries the tradition of Irish music into the fourth generation of her family – playing harp, flute, piano and dancing sean nós. After achieving a master’s degree in music, she’s continued to develop her own unique style, bringing a modern energy to her traditional influences. She released her Ocean Of Stars EP in 2021, which featured contributions from Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Clare Sands.
Her music lies in the indistinct place between traditional and contemporary. She proves her ability to sway between both worlds and play to her strengths in each.
“I feel a strong pull to nature and my beautiful surroundings in Sligo when I’m composing my pieces. I’m fascinated by the beginning and ending of life and the constant movement of nature. That’s where I draw most of my inspiration from,” she says.

Christmas Concert
2023-12-17 14:30 - 15:45 | Co. Donegal
December 17 @ 2.30pm – 3.45pm
An afternoon of music with harpist Ruth O’Hara & soprano Megan O’Neill. The programme will include Christmas Classics along with some well-known traditional Irish & classical pieces.
Admission free. Booking essential at 01 493 4208 or pearsemuseum@opw.ie

Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman (Irish Harp & Guitar) Celtic Christmas Strings concert
2023-12-15 19:30 - 22:30 | Co. Donegal
Helmsley Arts Centre on Friday, 15 December 2023, 7.30pm

This celebrated partnership of “one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS) with “the doyenne of Irish harpers” (SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY) has presented its unique musical vision in twenty-two countries on five continents to venues ranging from the tiniest of village halls to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, London’s Barbican, Sydney Town Hall and the Philharmonie in Cologne. Chris has toured and recorded with many luminaries of the folk and jazz worlds, among them Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain, Diz Disley and Stéphane Grappelli, and Máire is a recipient of Irish music’s most prestigious award, Traditional Musician of the Year (Gradam Ceoil TG4 – Ceoltóir na Bliana).
Their Christmas show features a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish and Scottish music, swing jazz, bluegrass and baroque plus festive favourites given a fresh voice and performed in their characteristically soulful style – a spellbinding treat for mid-winter.

Tickets available: https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=HAMS_MPV&orgid=55230&eventId=93522#/event/E93522/seatmap/?seatmapId=7771&selectBuyers=false&minPrice=15&maxPrice=15&quantity=1&sort=price_asc&ada=false&seatSelection=true&onlyCoupon=true&onlyVoucher=false

Irish Christmas Concert with Jean and Fiona Kelly & guests
2023-12-15 19:30 | Co. Donegal
15th of December at 7.30 pm
Christmas Fundraiser event.
A classical and traditional Irish Christmas Concert with musicians Jean and Fiona Kelly and guests.

Tickets available: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/irish-christmas-concert-with-jean-and-fiona-kelly-guests-tickets-763817437517?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
