Tuamgraney Harp Festival
1st-2nd April 2023
Tuamgraney Harp Festival – 2023
Festival Program
| Date | Time | Event | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 31st March | 8:00pm | Festival Opening & Session | Nuala’s Bar & Restaurant |  |
| Saturday 1st April | 9:30am | Workshop Registration | Nuala’s Bar & Restaurant | |
| 10:00am | Workshops | TBC | ||
| 2:30pm | Harp Makers Q&A | TBC | ||
| 4:00pm | Competitions | TBC | ||
| 8:00pm | Concert | Catholic Church |  | |
| Sunday 2nd April | 11:00am | Harp Ensemble Workshop | TBC | |
| 1:00pm | Recital | TBC | ||
| 5:00pm | Closing Session | Nuala’s Bar & Restaurant |
Welcome Back
We are delighted to announce the dates for our annual Tuamgraney Harp Festival. Our dates for this years festival are Friday 31st March to Sunday 2nd April 2023.
We are thrilled to bring you all back to Tuamgraney for a weekend full of music. Please share this exciting news with all your musical friends.
We can’t wait to see you all this April. Keep an eye on our Facebook Page for more information
Harp Tutors 2023
Gráinne Hambly
Gráinne Hambly from County Mayo is an internationally recognised exponent of the Irish harp, and is in great demand as a performer and teacher, both at home and abroad. Gráinne started to play Irish music on the tin whistle at an early age, before moving on to the concertina and later the harp. She lived in Belfast for six years, where she completed a Masters Degree in Musicology, awarded by Queen’s University (1999).
Fionnuala Rooney
Fionnuala Rooney is an accomplished harper originally from Scotstown, Co. Monaghan and now residing in Quin, Co. Clare. She has had great success winning All-Ireland harp titles as well as the prestigious Granard and Keadue competitions at every age category.
Fiana Ní Chonaill
Fiana hails from Castleconnell, Co Limerick. She comes from a family that has been involved in Irish music for three generations and was reared in a household immersed in the Irish music tradition. Fiana began learning harp under the tuition of Dr. Janet Harbison and toured extensively throughout Europe as part of the Irish Harp Orchestra.
Evening Concert
A gala evening concert will be held at 8:00pm and will feature harpists Gráinne Hambly, Fionnuala Rooney as well as Fiana Ní Chonaill, Manus McGuire (Fiddle) and Cillian King (Concertina) as well as the budding harpists from Music Generation Clare.
Harp Making
Killarney Harps
Killarney Harps was established by Tim O’Carroll in 2011 in the picturesque lakeland town of Killarney, in the heart of Kerry. Kerry’s cultural history is steeped in Irish traditional music and dance.
The founder, Tim O’Carroll, has over 40 years experience working as a Joiner and Furniture Designer/Manufacturer. The experience gained in working with wood is reflected in the quality of the finished Harps. Tim’s enthusiasm and attention to detail is paramount to his work.
Kevin Harrington
Kevin Harrington is an instrument maker based in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, primarily focussed on modern Irish harps. Formally trained in violin making at London Metropolitan University (formerly London School of Furniture) and the Newark School of Violin Making, Kevin worked at several violin and double bass repair workshops in London including Thwaites, Bridgewood & Neitzert, and Laurance Dixon.
Brian Callan
My name is Brian Callan.
I am originally from Ardee in Co. Louth but I now live outside Craughwell in Co. Galway with my two boys.
My interest in woodwork began in school where I was lucky enough to have a teacher whose passion for the skill inspired me to make a career from it when I left school.
After running my own cabinet making business for several years, I returned to college to become a woodwork teacher and spent seven years teaching. Following the birth of my children, I took a career break to become a stay-at-home dad.
The harp’s accessible sound and therapeutic value makes it the ideal native instrument with which to introduce preschool children to music.
Researching the topic quickly made me realise very few harps were actually made in Ireland, despite the instrument being our national emblem. I started working on many templates until I manufactured a first prototype in December 2011.
I have now developed a range of fully hand-crafted harps made from locally sourced, naturally felled Irish native timber where possible. My harps are designed to suit all ages and abilities