Three of the world's leading historical harpists, Ann Heymann, Andrew Lawrence-King and Siobhán Armstrong with special guest Róisín Elsafty (sean nós song) will play a special concert at Nun's Island Theatre tomorrow, Thursday 28 August at 8pm.

Ann Heymann.

Ireland is unique in having as its national emblem a musical instrument: a harp. The current emblem depicts a real instrument: the 14th-15th century harp kept in the Long Room of Trinity College Library, which is Ireland's only surviving medieval harp. This typifies the kind of harp that was played in Ireland for more than 800 years!

This early Irish harp, or cláirseach, was played by highly skilled musicians in the Gaelic courts and later the great houses, from the early Middle Ages until its demise in the early 19th century. With a soundbox carved from a single log of willow and strung with brass – and possibly even gold or silver – wire, the extraordinary sound of this instrument, which was played with the fingernails, was described in glowing terms by visitors to Ireland from the 12th century onwards.

The concert offers a unique opportunity in Ireland to see and hear exquisite replicas of Ireland's only surviving medieval harp: the Trinity College harp played by two of the world's foremost players of this extremely rare and ancient instrument; to hear the authentic sound of brass and 18-carat GOLD strings played in the ancient manner with fingernails; and to listen to an exclusive sound of ancient Irish harp together with traditional Irish song sung by Connemara's prizewinning young sean-nós singer, Róisín Elsafty.

Admission is €18/ €12. Doors open at 8pm.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment