Virtual festival only in 2020
First an overview of what and why. Scroll down for a detailed, day-to-day timetable.
9.30–10.30 TRADITION BEARERS, PAST & PRESENT
We start each day by listening to – and talking with – a chosen ‘tradition bearer’: someone who embodies the best of traditional Irish music performance practice, often coming from a family with generations of music-making behind them. These artists exhibit rare and authentic styles of music-making within Gaelic traditions, which you can access each morning of the festival, to inform your own music-making. At some of these sessions, we also listen to archive recordings of relevant musicians from Ireland and Scotland. The first morning will be an overview session, setting out why we do this listening and what we hope to gain from it.
11.00–12.30 GROUP CLASSES
These sessions are divided by interest and ability between our tutors. View the 2019 week’s class subjects here (pdf) (2020 class subjects will be posted in spring 2020). On the Saturday, these sessions continue for another hour after lunch, allowing a more in-depth exploration of the subject being explored.
2.00–3.00 WORKSHOPS
Interactive workshops and talks take place Thursday to Monday. The Saturday workshop slot is divided into two workshops: one for a general audience and one for those with more experience who wish to explore deeper.
A public ‘Discovery’ workshop takes place 3.30-4.30 on Sunday afternoon. Scoil full participants are invited to sit in on – or assist with – this.
3.30–5.45 INDIVIDUAL COACHING
Individual coaching sessions are available Thursday to Saturday inclusive. You choose which tutor you would like to study with and what general or specific area you wish to work on. €50 per hour; needs to be booked in advance.
See a PDF of the areas of interest and expertise of each 2019 tutor here. (2020 tutor areas will be available in spring 2020.)
All choices are subject to availability. There is a limited number of appointments with each tutor. As other participants make their choices, your own will become more limited. We suggest that you book early to give yourself the widest range of options.
Once you have booked your place by paying your deposit, we will be in touch with you to schedule any individual coaching choices you have.
FESTIVAL EVENING EVENTS
On Thursday and Saturday, we move to our evening venue: the Medieval Mile Museum:
6.30–7.10 TALKS
A public festival talk precedes each of the two public festival concerts. Ticketed but FREE admission.
7.30–8.30 CONCERTS
Public festival concerts on Thursday and Saturday. €20 / €15 Tickets: museum box office and at the door
Please get in touch to discuss your individual requirements and we will accommodate you in the festival schedule in a way that best suits your needs.
See the festival 2020 festival programme for additional information on the public events.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information and watch our video.
Questions?
Contact us at info@irishharp.org or call
+353 (0)86 8623430 Monday to Friday 10.00a.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Wir sprechen gerne deutsch.
On parle Francais aussi.
The underneath events at Coláiste Pobail Osraí are for full-week participants only. Book your place here. For information about the public events please see the Festival Programme.
TIMETABLE for FULL PARTICIPANTS
WEDNESDAY 12th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Rd, Kilkenny. (behind Ormonde College)
| 3.00-4.00pm | Introductory players’ session for Scoil participants who are new to the early Irish harp Sylvia Crawford |
| 4.30-5.30pm | Participants’ registration |
| 5.30-6.30pm | Participants’ orientation session |
| 6.30-7.30pm | Official opening |
| 8.00pm | An Pobail closes |
THURSDAY 13th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
| 8.45-9.00am | Harp tuning | |
| 9.00-9.30am | Practice time | |
| 9.30-10.30am | Interactive introduction and overview: Tradition bearers, past and present: Why do we listen to significant singers, pipers and fiddlers? | |
| 10.30-10.50am | Tea break | |
| 10.50-11.00am | Physical warm-up Oisín Hahessy (sports rehabilitation coach) | |
| 11.00-12.30pm | Group classes | |
| 12.30-2.00pm | Lunch | |
| 2.00-3.00pm | Illustrated interactive talk: How can we understand and approach old Irish harp traditions? Sylvia Crawford | |
| 3.00-3.30pm | Tea break | |
| 3.30-4.30pm | Individual / group practice time | Individual coaching (optional) |
| 4.45-5.45pm |
| Overflow Individual coaching |
| 6.00pm | An Pobail closes |
Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny.
(Public events. Tickets: museum box office)
| 6.30-7.10pm | Illustrated TALK + Q&A Turlough Carolan (1670-1738): New research and discoveries Simon Chadwick Ticketed but free admission |
| 7.30-8.30pm | CONCERT Celebrating Turlough Carolan‘s 350th Birthday Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin, voice & early Irish harp – Pádraic Keane, uilleann pipes – Siobhán Armstrong, early Irish harp €20 / €15 This concert is presented in assoc. with Cruit Éireann/ Harp Ireland |
FRIDAY 14th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
| 8.45-9.00am | Harp tuning | |
| 9.00-9.30am | Practice time | |
| 9.30-10.30am | Tradition bearers, past and present: An interactive presentation with prizewinning piper, Pádraic Keane | |
| 10.30-10.50am | Tea break | |
| 10.50-11.00am | Physical warm-up Oisín Hahessy | |
| 11.00-12.30pm | Group classes | |
| 12.30-2.00pm | Lunch | |
| 2.00-3.00pm | Workshop The Bunting manuscripts & other sources of early Irish harp music: what are they, and how can we understand them and use them? Simon Chadwick | |
| 3.00-3.30pm | Tea break | |
| 3.30-4.30pm | Individual / group practice time | Individual coaching (optional) |
| 4.45-5.45pm |
| Overflow individual coaching |
| 6.00-7.00pm | Annual General Meeting of The Historical Harp Society of Ireland | |
| 8.00pm | An Pobail closes |
SATURDAY 15th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
| 8.45-9.00am | Harp tuning | |
| 9.00-9.30am | Practice time | |
| 9.30-10.30am | Tradition bearers, past and present: An interactive presentation with prizewinning singer, Ciarán Ó Gealbháin. | |
| 10.30-10.50am | Tea break | |
| 10.50-11.00am | Physical warm-up Oisín Hahessy | |
| 11.00-12.30pm | Group classes | |
| 12.30-2.00pm | Lunch | |
| 2.00-3.00pm | Workshop: The three pentatonic modes and their use in Irish harp music [less advanced] Sylvia Crawford | Workshop: All good things come in six: from the hexachord to the octave [more advanced] Carolin Margraf |
| 3.00-3.30pm | Tea break | |
| 3.30-4.30pm | Individual or group practice time | Individual coaching (optional) |
| 4.45-5.45pm |
| Overflow Individual coaching |
| 6.00pm | An Pobail closes |
Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny.
(Public events. Tickets: museum box office)
| 6.30-7.10pm | Illustrated TALK + Q&A The world of the old Irish harpers: history, traditions & anecdotes Simon Chadwick Ticketed but free admission |
| 7.30-8.30pm | CONCERT Master Soloists of Irish Music Ciarán Ó Gealbháin, voice – Siobhán Armstrong, early Irish harp – Breda Keville, fiddle €20 / €15 |
SUNDAY 16th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
| 8.45-9.00am | Harp tuning |
| 9.00-9.30am | Practice time |
| 9.30-10.30am | Tradition bearers, past and present: An interactive presentation with master fiddler, Breda Keville. |
| 10.30-10.50am | Tea break |
| 10.50-11.00am | Physical warm-up Oisín Hahessy |
| 11.00-12.30pm | Group classes (continued after lunch today) |
| 12.30-2.00pm | Lunch |
| 2.00-3.00pm | Continuation of Group classes from morning |
| 3.00-3.30pm | Tea break |
| 3.30-4.30pm | PUBLIC ‘DISCOVERY’ WORKSHOP Sylvia Crawford An opportunity for members of the public (adults and children over 10) to try out an early Irish harp. |
| 6.00pm | An Pobail closes |
MONDAY 17th August 2020
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
| 8.45-9.00am | Harp tuning |
| 9.00-9.30am | Practice time |
| 9.30-10.30am | Tradition bearers, past and present: Interactive presentation of archive recordings of singers and musicians from the Waterford gaeltacht Ciarán Ó Gealbháin |
| 10.30-10.50am | Tea break |
| 10.50-11.00am | Physical warm-up Oisín Hahessy |
| 11.00-12.30pm | Group classes |
| 12.30-2.00pm | Lunch |
| 2.00-3.00pm | Illustrated TALK: Old Irish harp music: research-led practice meets practice-led research. What? How? Why? Siobhán Armstrong |
| 3.00-3.30pm | Tea break |
| 3.30-5.30pm | Participant Performance Platform and Closing Reception |
| 6.00pm | Festival clean-up and packing away |
| 8.00pm | Informal festival group get-together in Kilkenny city centre. An Pobail closes. |
TUESDAY 18th August 2020
Optional field trip
€50 (with coach from Kilkenny) / €30 (join in Dublin)
| 8.00am | Depart Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny |
| 10.00-10.30am |
Guinness
Storehouse Museum, Dublin
• Denis O’Hampsey’s Downhill harp |
| 11.30-12.30pm |
Trinity
College Dublin
• Trinity College (Brian Boru) harp • Patrick Quin’s Castle Otway harp |
| 1.00-2.00pm | Lunch at a city centre cafe / restaurant |
| 3.00-4.00pm | National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin • Fitzgerald-Kildare harp • Mulagh Mast harp • Sirr harp • Carolan (Rose Mooney) harp • Hollybrook harp • Cloyne harp fragments • Cloyne reconstruction |
| 4.00-4.30pm | Afternoon tea at Brambles Cafe, Collins Barracks |
| 4.30pm | Depart Dublin for those returning to Kilkenny |
| 7.00pm approx. | Arrive in Kilkenny. |
Explore timetables from previous festivals here: 2019 – 2018 – 2017 – 2016 – 2015 – 2014 – 2013 – 2012 – 2011 – 2010 – 2009 – 2008 – 2007 – 2006 – 2005 – 2004 – 2003
Read more
Fees and booking information
Festival programme
Festival artists
Photos
Frequently asked questions
Accommodation advice
Feedback from previous years
Venue
Scoil na gCláirseach–Festival of Early Irish Harp is made possible with 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.
