The Festival of Early Irish Harp Returns! 26 July – 1 August, 2024, in Kilkenny & Online!
Scoil na gCláirseach – The Festival of Early Irish Harp Returns on 26 July – 1 August, 2024!
+ 55 workshops, talks, concerts & social occasions in Kilkenny & also you can watch LIVE online!
Discover the world of the exquisite, ancient Gaelic harp in a full schedule of 55 events: concerts, talks, workshops, social occasions and more. Onsite in Kilkenny city, and LIVE online, 26 July – 1 August, 2024.
Immerse yourself each day with hands-on workshops; presentations on history, repertory, and instruments; and live Q & A with masters of Irish music traditions. Hear some of Ireland’s, and the world’s, finest historical and traditional musicians in festival concerts, recreating the glorious sound world of the early Irish harp.
“Our aim is to share with you the music of the old Irish harpers, exploring as much of their world as is now possible, using everything from 17th-century manuscripts to cutting-edge, 21st-century science. Hear, play and sing music familiar to Gaelic chieftains, and in the Great Irish Houses, while having a hugely enjoyable social week with your fellow festival participants!” says festival director, Siobhán Armstrong.
EVENING CONCERTS AT KILKENNY CASTLE
SUNDAY 28TH JULY, 8:00 pm
MASTERS OF IRISH MUSIC
Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, voice
Siobhán Armstrong, early Irish harp
Martin Tourish, accordion
A one-off gathering of three of Ireland’s leading performers of evocative, soulful Irish music. Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, the prize-winning sean-nós [‘old style’] singer, will perform with Siobhán Armstrong, Ireland’s foremost performer on the ancient Irish, brass-wire-strung harp. Musician and composer, Martin Tourish, [Young Musician of the Year, 2008], makes a rare Kilkenny appearance also, in an evening of solo singing and harpers’ songs from the ancient Irish harping tradition, together with lively instrumental music. Presented in the 1000-year-old Parade Tower of Kilkenny Castle.
TUESDAY 30th JULY, 8:00 pm
GIVE ME YOUR HAND – MUSIC OF THE 1600S FOR A GAELIC CASTLE
Allan McDonald, voice and small pipes
Tamzin Elliott, early Irish harp
Róisín O’Grady, soprano
Toby Carr, Renaissance lute
Described as ‘the single most important living source of Gaelic musical culture’, acclaimed Scottish piper, and singer, Allan McDonald, makes a rare Kilkenny appearance this July. He will be joined by historical harpist, Tamzin Elliott – in their Irish debut – playing the ravishing, ancient Irish harp, with its rare brass-wire strings. Also performing at this one-off Kilkenny date is rising British star of the Renaissance lute, Toby Carr, and historical-music soprano, Róisín O’Grady, in a programme of intimate music from Scotland, Ireland, England and France in the evocative surroundings of the 1000-year-old Parade Tower at Kilkenny Castle.
Tickets:
€18 / €12 (student & unwaged)
€28 (both concerts)
No live streaming: concert videos will be available to all ticket holders from Aug. to Dec.
FREE TEATIME CONCERTS
FRIDAY 26th JULY, 6:30–7:00 pm
James Ruff, early Irish harp
SATURDAY 27th JULY, 6:45–7:15 pm
Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin, voice and early Irish harp
MONDAY 29th JULY, 6:45–7:15 pm
Paul Dooley, early Irish harp
Hear the ancient sound of the old Irish harp, played by master performers, in intimate ‘teatime’ concerts at Coláiste Pobail Osraí secondary school, 6-7 Ormonde Rd, Kilkenny.
FREE ADMISSION
Website festival.irishharp.org
Timetable https://festival.irishharp.org/event
Artists https://festival.irishharp.org/guests-and-staff
Tickets https://festival.irishharp.org/tickets
Artist biogs / photos https://festival.irishharp.org/guests-and-staff
Venues Coláiste Pobail Osraí Secondary School, 6-7 Ormonde Rd, Kilkenny, R95 D8N8 The Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle
Live ONLINE at https://festival.irishharp.org/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/historicalharpsocietyofIreland/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/historicalharp
Twitter @HHSI_Harp
Instagram @hhsi_harp
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/historical-harp-society-of-ireland
Blog post https://irishharp.org/news/summer-festival-2024
Who are we?
The Historical Harp Society of Ireland brings to life a lost sound world. Founded in 2002, it leads a rediscovery of Ireland’s illustrious medieval musical instrument, depicted in the national emblem: the early Irish harp. Silent for over 100 years, the ravishing sound – and the rarely heard music – of the oldest Irish harp sounds fresh to modern ears but also evokes the deepest wells of ancient Irish history and culture.
www.irishharp.org
Our funders
The HHSI is immensely grateful to its funding bodies and supporters, without whose generous support our work to rediscover the Early Irish harp would not be possible. Scoil na gCláirseach–Festival of Early Irish Harp is kindly funded by An Chomhairle Ealaíon [The Arts Council], Kilkenny County Council, Creative Ireland, and Harp Ireland.
Our student-harp rental collection has been funded by The Music Capital Scheme, supported by The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, managed by Music Network.
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