Ancient art of harp making

Ancient art of harp making

By Maurice Garvey

THE ancient art of harp making is alive and well via a traditional Irish musical course in Ballyfermot that teaches it’s students how to make the stringed beauty - an unofficial logo of Ireland - along with other musical instruments such as the flute, mandolin, whistle and uileann pipes.

On Tuesday at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, students from the HND/Traineeship in Irish Traditional Music Performance, Instrument Making, Repair and Maintenance, gave a first performance of harps that they made.

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Liam, Stapleton, Paul McGrattan, Seamus Ong, Ellie Crowley, Jan Muyllaert, Ned Lynch, Maeve Gillen, Mick O'Brien and Joe Byrne

BCFE is the first college in Ireland doing this type of craft.

The college invited two of Ireland’s most distinguished harpists to perform on the new stringed instruments - Laoise Kelly, (TG4 Irish traditional Musician of the year 2020) and Noreen O Donoghue, a harpist who was a pathfinder for her generation in the performance and perception of the harp as a traditional instrument.

Paul McGrattan, Course Coordinator said: “This is the first known time in the 2,000 year history of the Irish harp that a college has made harps and Ellie Crowley one of our students is, as far as we can tell the first female harpmaker.”

Mr McGrattan said the instrument making strand is run in partnership with Na Píobairí Uilleann.

The students worked under the supervision of harpmaker Jan Muyllaert, who attended the event on Tuesday along with reps from Na Píobairí Uilleann.

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Ned Lynch (Harp Maker Student), Jan Muyllaert (Harp Maker) and Ellie Crowley (Harp Maker Student)

The event also featured a performance by college students on sets of uilleann pipes and flutes which they made on the college’s HND in Irish Traditional Music Programme (Ceoltóir).

Famous past students of the course include musicians Daoiri Farrrell and Alan Doherty. 

“Our students go on to great things, some have toured and performed with many of the major traditional and folk acts, including the Chieftains and the Fureys,” said Paul.

“The traineeship is especially good for people on Job Seeker allowance. They can retain that for two years while they study, develop skills and we can guide them towards a BA.”

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