click on images to enlarge them

 

 

 

Muiredach Cross, 10th Century

 

 

Trinity College harp, 15th Century

 

 

Bronze plaque, 13th Century

 

 

Cloyne harp, 17th Century

 

 

blind harper, 19th century

 

 

Carolan's harp, 18th Century

 

 

carving in Ardmore Cathedral, 11th Century

 

 

Bunworth harp, 18th Century

 

 

Woodcut by John Derricke, 16th Century

 

 

Kildare harp, 17th Century

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Irish mythological cycles, some believed to date back as far as the 5th century C.E., all mention harps, but judging by the pictorial and archaeological evidence the harp as we understand it today did not emerge in Ireland until the 11th century C.E.

The earlier harps were quadrangular structures with around six strings called cruits, and these were developed into the more triangular structure of the modern harp. This is shape is shown in a carving on the Muiredeach Cross in Monasterboice church yard which dates from the 10th century and also on a 12th century bronze plaque that originally decorated the shrine of St Mogue.

The modern Irish harp has more strings than the cruit, usually between 20 and 32, and these strings were metal, brass, bronze and silver being the most favoured. The modern Irish harp also features a soundbox carved from a single piece of willow or bog wood which magnified the sound.

The metal stringed harp was called a clarsach to differentiate it from the European harp which was stringed with gut and had a quite different sound. The earliest surviving Irish clarsach dates from the 15th century, when the instrument was already well developed. This harp, known as the Trinity College or Brian Boru harp, is the template for the harp symbol of Ireland as is seen today on the Irish Presidential standard and seal. The status of the harp in Irish history is much related to the status of harpers.

The cruit, and later the clarsach, were the favoured instruments of the Filid, a class of learned storytellers and musicians who also had a function as keepers of history and as counsellors. The Filid were originally part of the hierarchy of the Druids, but with the conversion of Ireland to Christianity and the influence of the Druids waned the Filid became more prominent.

The bardic schools survived the demise of the Druids, and the Filid were trained for ten years before beginning service. From the 5th to the 15th century every noble household maintained a Fili for music and storytelling and also for the important role of family historian, as little was recorded in writing in the secular world the Fili would memorise and then pass on history to a successor.

The status of the Filid was so high in Irish society that their ransom price under Brehon law was equal to that of a King. The prestige the Filid enjoyed they lent to their favoured instrument, and the music they played was reknowned for its beauty. Geraldus Cambrensis writing in the 12h century praises the Irish harpers very highly, even compared to the harpers in his native Wales who also had an excellent musical reputation. Filid and the harp suffered a significant drop in status during the 16th century with Elizabeth I�s annexing of Ireland. The Filid were evicted from the noble hearths that had housed them for centuries and forced to become itinerant. Even so they still exercised some influence and were often leaders of, or inciters to, rebellion against the hated English invaders.

They were so successful that Elizabeth decreed for all Irish harpers to be hung and their instruments destroyed. The Irish and their reverence for harp and harper were considered primitive by the English as a woodcut by John Derricke shows.

Happily, not all Irish harpers were eradicated during this era and some were able to pass on their skills. The harp was waning in popularity as an instrument, however, just as its use as a symbol was beginning to gain momentum.

The harp did enjoy a brief time of popularity in the 18th century with the blind harper Turlough O Carolan who tempered traditional Irish tunes with the baroque style in fashion at the time, and was much in demand in the drawing rooms of the wealthy and noble.

At the end of the 18th century the Irish harp tradition was almost extinct, and we owe most of the tunes and information recorded to Edward Bunting, a church organist who was hired to notate aurally transferred harp tunes at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792. Though only 10 harpers attended this event, Bunting was able to record a number of tunes, and he continued to collect Irish harp tunes throughout his life which resulted in three published collections.  Bunting also published information about the playing method of the Irish harp which seems to have altered quite dramatically over time

 

Page Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Site Directory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1