Events

Join Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland in the beautiful surroundings of Muckross Schoolhouse for an afternoon of music, conversation and craft as harpers, harpmakers and friends explore the deep connections between our music, our landscape and our shared heritage. Sit with our master harpers and try your hand at playing an Irish harp, listen to harpmaker Tim O’Carroll as he shares the secrets and ancient craft of harp building and his efforts to safeguard it. 

Experience the sounds, stories and traditions that connect people, places and generations. Inspired by Macalla na Mara |Sea Echoes, acclaimed singer Lisa Lambe, master harpers Cormac De Barra and Deirdre Granville, flute player Aoife Granville, and dancer Niamh O'Brien explore the enduring relationship between Ireland's landscapes, its coastal communities and its cultural traditions through harp music, song, dance and storytelling. Discover how local rivers, lakes, coastlines and the natural world around them have inspired them; shaping their music and sense of place, the traditions they have inherited, and why passing these skills on to future generations matters more than ever.

Programmme

12.30-1.30pm Hands on Harps – Try your Hand!
1.45-2.30pm Crafting a Harp with Harp maker Tim O’Carroll
2.45-3.30pm Turning the Tide: Safeguarding our Natural Heritage
3.45pm-5pm Concert: Harps for Heritage 2026: Macalla na Mara|Sea Echoes

Date: Sunday 23rd August
Time: 12:30pm - 5:00pm
Venue: Muckross Schoolhouse, Killarney, County Kerry

This project received funding through a joint initiative by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and the National Monuments Service to support practices inscribed on Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.