The soundbox of the harp was usually carved out of a block of willow, it had a heavy neck with reinfroced metal on both sides, a deeply curved forepillar, and string holes in the soundbox.

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Editors, H. com (2018). Imbolc. [online] HISTORY. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/imbolc.

Chadwick, S. (2008). The Early Irish Harp. Early Music, [online] 36(4), pp.521–531. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27655252.

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B, F.J. (1903). Irish Harp Festival in Belfast. Ulster Journal of Archaeology, [online] 9(3), pp.141–141. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/20566175.

Harbison, J. (1986). Bunting and the Belfast Harpers’ Festival of 1792. The Linen Hall Review, [online] 3(3), pp.23–25. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20533825.

Boydell, B. (1998). The United Irishmen, Music, Harps, and National Identity. Eighteenth-Century Ireland / Iris an dá chultúr, [online] 13, pp.44–51. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/30064324.

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omeka.qub.ac.uk. (n.d.). The Belfast Harp Festival · The Edward Bunting Collection · Digital Exhibitions at Special Collections & Archives, Queen’s University Belfast. [online] Available at: https://omeka.qub.ac.uk/exhibits/show/edwardbuntingcollection/belfastharpfestival.

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The Journal of Music | News, Reviews and Opinion. (2014). The Irish Harp: Centre Stage. [online] Available at: https://journalofmusic.com/opinion/irish-harp-centre-stage.

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‌https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/imbolc

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White, H. (1989). Carolan and the Dislocation of Music in Ireland. EighteenthCentury Ireland / Iris an dá chultúr, [online] 4, pp.55–64. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/30071469.

Smith, T. (2000). The Fragmentation of Irish Musical Thought and the Marginalisation of Traditional Music. Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, [online] 89(354), pp.149–158. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/30095350.

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https://www.facebook.com/comhaltas.ie (2024). Turlough O’Carolan: Irish Harper - Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. [online] Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. Available at: https://comhaltas.ie/turlough_ocarolan_irish_harper/ [Accessed 15 Dec. 2024].

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The Gaelic harp tradition was an oral one, although there are references that literate harpers existed, none of their written documentations of tunes have been found or have survived until this day. Tunes were passed from player to player through listening and travel. However, Gaelic harp traditions, tunes and repertory were written down by other musicians from the early 17th centry onward. (Chadwick, 2008)

Collector Edward Bunting played a major role in the conservation of Harp music and tunes, collecting directly from the last of the harpers. He did this at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792.

‌The harp was facing extinction and there were 10 Irish harpers in attendance, with one Welsh harpist also in attendance. All harpists are known besides one, Williams, who's first name is unknown. The other harpers were: Denis Hempson, Arthur O'Neill, Dan Black, Charles Byrne, Hugh Higgins, Patrick Quinn, Will Caer, James Duncan, and Rose Mooney. Bunting sat with the harpers and noted the music they played. (omeka.qub.qc.uk, n.d.)

Seven of these harpers were blind and the eldest in attendance was 97 years old. The harpers used the ancient way of playing the harp, by plucking the strings with their fingernails.

Immediately after the Harp Festival, Bunting set out to write and publish his first collection. He published his first collection of Irish airs in 1796 and it contained 66 airs that had never been published. The titles were given to the tunes in both Irish and English and included piano accompaniment. Bunting's published work- "Of The Method Of Playing, And Musical Vocabulary Of The Old Irish Harpers"- assisted the harping tradition even more as it gave important insight into the ancient tradition of harping, which is a tradition that is distinctly different from contemporary Irish harp arrangements. (Smith, 2000) Edward Bunting collected and published three collections of music.

Composer, Séan Ó Riada took an interest in harper and musician Turlough Ó Cearbhláinn's music lending to the rediscovery of harp music. The interest in the instrument came from musicians such as harpers from Ceoltóirí Cualann, who's sound bewitched their listeners with the sound of harp music. (Journal of Music, 2014)

I found the performance very enjoyable as we saw both musicians bring their own personal flare, whilst playing the same tunes. There was a positive atmosphere in the room and the duo played both self composed tunes and traditional Irish tunes, including a tune that I recognised, The Rolling Wave, a jig.

O'Carolan's style was unique among harpers as he drew inspiration and influence from Italian harp playing and European composers. Amongst his recognition for being a talented poet and composer, his harp playing was admired. One of his most notable works is 'Si Beag, sí mór.'

The end of the seventeenth century saw the enactment of the Penal Law, which made it very hard to express Gaelic culture without fear or persecution. O'Carolan was alive during this time and his art and music reflect this cultural shift. He is one of the earliest examples of a musician in the native high art to happily embrace European high art. O'Carolan was liked and welcomed into the homes of both native and colonists, demonstrating his likeability as a musician and as a person.