A full list of the 2019 festival's public events follows together with booking links.
- The Harp Makers' Exhibition on Saturday is FREE ADMISSION.
- Illustrated Talks are FREE ADMISSION.
- Workshops at Coláiste Pobail Osraí are paid for at the door (€15).
- Concerts at the Medieval Mile Museum can be booked using the Museum's online box office. Links to the booking page of each event are provided below. Tickets: €15 / €10 concessions
There is also a full programme of all-day events for festival participants who want to play the harp. See the timetable here and further information for Scoil participants here.
See and hear our 2019 festival artists here.
Wednesday 14th August 2019
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
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3:30–4:30pm |
Beginners’ taster workshop Advance booking is essential as places are limited. |
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Thursday 15th August 2019
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
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3.30-4.30pm |
Workshop – Sylvia Crawford Approaches to early Irish harp fingering |
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Medieval Mile Museum, St Mary’s Lane, High Street, Kilkenny,
| 6.30-7.10pm BOOK NOW |
Illustrated talk – Siobhán Armstrong MUSIC, KILKENNY & THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY |
| 7.30-8.30pm BOOK NOW |
Concert – WILD DANCES & PLAINTIVE AIRS Paul Dooley solo harp Paddy Glackin solo fiddle Lillis Ó Laoire solo voice |
Friday 16th August 2019
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
| 3.30-4.30pm | General workshop – Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin Learn a song in Irish (for non-Irish speakers) |
Specialist workshop – Lillis Ó Laoire Song class for Irish speakers |
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Medieval Mile Museum, St Mary’s Lane, High Street, Kilkenny
| 6.30-7.10pm BOOK NOW |
Illustrated talk – Simon Chadwick HISTORIES AND TRADITIONS OF THE IRISH HARP |
| 7.30-8.30pm BOOK NOW |
Concert – LOVE SONGS, LAMENTS & LULLABIES ELSAFTY, ARMSTRONG & BROWNE trio Róisín Elsafty voice Siobhán Armstrong harp Ronan Browne Irish pipes and whistles |
Saturday 17th August 2019 Harp Makers Day
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
| 10.30-11.00am | Harpmakers’ exhibition | |||
| 12.30-1.30am | Harpmakers’ exhibition | |||
| 3.00-3.30pm | Harpmakers’ exhibition | |||
| 3.30-4.30pm | Workshop – Simon Chadwick Replica harps and portraits of harpers as a source for performance practice |
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| 4.30-5.00pm | Harpmaker’s exhibition | |||
| 5.00pm | Illustrated talk – Karen Loomis (virtual presentation) THE EVOLUTION OF THE IRISH HARP |
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Sunday 18th August 2019
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
| 3.30-4.30pm | General workshop – Siobhán Armstrong An introduction to eighteenth-century Irish harp manuscripts |
Specialist workshop – Simon Chadwick Pentatonic structures in arrangements and basses of Gaelic harp tunes |
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Medieval Mile Museum, St Mary’s Lane, High Street, Kilkenny
| 6.30-7.10pm BOOK NOW |
Illustrated talk – Nancy Hurrell THE ORIGIN OF THE MODERN IRISH HARP: TRADITION MEETS INNOVATION |
| 7.30-8.30pm BOOK NOW |
Concert – ALL THE FLOWERS IN THE FOREST James Ruff solo harp Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin voice and harp Sarah Ghríallais solo voice |
Monday 19th August 2019
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
| 3.30-4.30pm | Workshop – Siobhán Armstrong Do we want to try to sound like old Irish harpers? Leaning into idiomatic, historical Irish harping |
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| 4.30pm | Closing reception & book launch Nancy Hurrell, The Egan Irish harps: tradition, patrons and players (Four Courts Press 2019) |
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Tuesday 20th August 2019
Optional field trip to Dublin, led by Simon Chadwick
(times are approximate)
| 8.00am | Depart Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny |
| Approx 10.30am | Coffee break at Peaches, Nassau Street, Dublin |
| 11.00am-12.00noon | Trinity College Dublin: • Trinity College (Brian Boru) harp • Patrick Quin’s Castle Otway harp |
| Approx 12.30pm | Lunch break at Brambles cafe, Collins Barracks, Dublin |
| 2.00-3.00pm | National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin: • Kildare harp • Mullagh Mast harp • Sirr harp • Carolan (Rose Mooney) harp • Hollybrook harp • Cloyne harp fragments • Cloyne reconstruction |
| 3.30-4.00pm | Guinness Storehouse Museum, Dublin: • Denis O’Hampsey’s Downhill harp |
| 4.00-4.30pm | Afternoon tea break at the Guinness Storehouse |
| 4.30pm | Depart Dublin for those returning to Kilkenny |
| Approx. 7.00pm | arrive Kilkenny |
Read more about the festival
Full participants' timetable 2019
Festival artists 2019
Feedback from previous years
Fees and booking information
Venue
Frequently asked questions
Accommodation advice
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Scoil na gCláirseach is only possible because of funding from An Chomhairle Ealaíon – The Arts Council and Kilkenny County Council. Our wonderful bank of HHSI Student harps has been funded by The Music Capital Scheme, supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and managed by Music Network.
Previous years’ programmes are archived here: 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003
