Discovery Days

Have you always wanted to play the harp? Would you like to hear, and learn more about, the ancient instrument of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands? If so, now’s your chance! Join us at one of our Discovery Days ONLINE around Ireland during 2021.

22–24 October
Achill International Harp Festival ONLINE
LISTEN Concert
LEARN Workshop
TALK 'Re-discovering Old Irish Harp Music and Traditions'

27 June–2 July
Cúírt na Cruitireachta–International Harp Festival ONLINE
LISTEN Concert: 1 July 8.00 p.m. 'Ceolchoirm na Féile'
LEARN Talk: 28 June 2.00 p.m. 'Re-discovering Old Irish Harp Music and Traditions'

21–23 May
Galway Early Music Festival ONLINE
LISTEN Concert: 'Saints, Heroes and Kings' 
LEARN Talk: 'Re-discovering Old Irish Harp Music and Traditions' 
HAVE A GO! Workshop: 22 May 11.00a.m.–1.00 p.m. 'Uncovering Carolan': Surprising new discoveries about Carolan’s compositional and performance idiom

17 March
The Hollybrook Harp – HHSI Harpmakers' Resource
LEARN Talk: An online Zoom tour around our new online database for harpmakers, given by Dr Karen Loomis. 
Now available on Youtube

March  [COVID-19 CANCELLATION]
Kilkenny Trad Fest 
LEARN Talk
LISTEN Concert
HAVE A GO! Workshop

HHSI Discovery Days are suitable for adults and children over the ages of ten. They have three components:

LISTEN

A 45-min. lunchtime concert of solo harp music and harp songs with Ireland’s foremost historical harpist, Siobhán Armstrong, and one of the following two prize-winning singers, Róisín Elsafty or Eibhlís Ní Riordáin.

LEARN

A 45-min. illustrated talk on the fascinating history of the old Irish harp, given by a world expert in the field, Simon Chadwick.

HAVE A GO!

A 60-min. beginners’ workshop under the gentle guidance of early Irish harp tutor, Sylvia Crawford. The HHSI has a unique collection of student early Irish harps copied from originals in the National Museum of Ireland. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis to the workshop participants who sign up soonest.

· All planned 2021 Disovery days have been been postponed until further notice.