33rd international harp festival takes place at An Grianan

FROM Sunday 1st to Friday 6th July, the 33rd International Festival of Irish Harp, which is funded by the Arts Council, plays host to the largest gathering of harpers to date.

Harpers from all over the world come together at the Festival, a highlight in the Irish harp’s calendar and an important feature of County Louth’s Creative Ireland programme, to celebrate our national instrument.

This year, once again, An Chúirt Chruitireachta’s residential harp festival takes place in the beautiful surroundings of An Grianán, in Termonfeckin, with concerts at three different venues throughout the week.

Festival 2018 explores and interprets the music of Turlough Carolan, the renowned harper composer who died in 1738. Workshops and concerts, featuring acclaimed Irish harpers, experimenting and collaborating with other artists, reimagines Carolan’s repertoire in song and story and encourages innovative arrangements for the harp, as well as introducing a new generation of Irish harpers to his music.

Over its thirty three year history, An Chúirt Chruitireachta has successfully integrated the Irish harp into the broader traditional music landscape. It has also played a major part in leading the huge upsurge of interest in the harp in Ireland today; ably assisted by the Music Generation Music Education programmes, which currently provide support and tuition to more than 200 young harpers nation-wide. Highlights of this year’s festival will include: Fáilte Isteach: Sunday 8pm July 1, Beaulieu House, Drogheda. Festival Welcome featuring Sylvia Crawford, Gráinne Hambly, and William Jackson as they explore music of the harpers.

Revisiting Carolan Monday 8pm July 2 An Grianán: Harpers Laoise Kelly, Kathleen Loughnane, Cormac de Barra, Anne Marie O Farrell and seannós singer Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaoich present an extravaganza of Carolan’s music.