Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland presents Harps for Hope online concert series

Harps for Hope is a series of online harp concerts.

Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland presents Harps for Hope online concert series

Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland presents Harps for Hope, a series of online harp concerts from more than 50 of Ireland’s leading harpers to express our togetherness and lend its voice to the fight against Covid19. Never was the saying ‘Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid, we live in each other’s shadows’ more relevant than it is now. To date, the series includes music from a selection of our leading harpers including Laoise Kelly, Cormac de Barra, Tríona Marshall, Máire Ní Chathasigh, Siobhán Armstrong among others and will culminate with a 240 strong harp ensemble performance in June. More details HERE

Local musician and teacher Fiana Ní Chonaill, who hails from Castleconnell, Co.Limerick is one of the list of illustrious musicians participating in Harps for Hope and performs her own composition the Garden Hill with a traditional jig The Wind oe’r the Lake. Speaking about their involvement, they said, “ My contribution to this series is twofold, as a soloist and as director of Cuisle Harp Ensemble. My students and I really enjoyed the creative challenge of being part of Harp Ireland’s large scale ensemble performance which is due for release in early June. This initiative has acted as a source of personal joy and comfort during these unprecedented times”.

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Pictured above is Fiana Ni Chonaill and Cuisle Harp Ensemble.

Members of Cuisle Harp Ensemble:

Fiana Ní Chonaill (Director) (Castleconnell, Co.Limerick)

Aoibhin Lee (Drombanna, Co.Limerick)

Mara Van Aelst (Newport, Co.Tipperary)

Naoise Ní Fhuireastal (Clonmel, Co.Tipperary)

Clodagh Moylan (Nenagh, Co.Tipperary)

Roisin Duffy (Nenagh, Co.Tipperary)

Ciara Kennedy (Roscrea, Co.Tipperary)

Aibhlín McCrann, Chair of Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland explains, “Over the past year, people have highlighted to us how connected they feel to the sound of the harp; how it calms them, comforts them and enhances their sense of national identity. We were struck by the depth of emotion and resonance that Irish harp holds for so many people when it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last year. Undoubtedly, Ireland’s national instrument enjoys a unique place in Irish musical and cultural life and that is a tribute to the steadfast dedication of harpers, teachers, harp students, and our supporters nationally and internationally”.

The full series of videos are available HERE. The introductory track on each of these videos is An Cruitire from the Spirit of Laois suite composed by harper-composer, Michael Rooney and performed by Siobhán Buckley.

Cruit Éireann, Harp Ireland is the national umbrella resource organisation for the harp in Ireland: its organisations, harp players and harp makers. It was established in 2016 by harpers in collaboration with the Arts Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon to support the continuing development of the harp in Ireland, gain recognition for its unique status and secure its sustainability. 

For more information on Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland, click here

For more stories on music in Limerick, click here