Lá na Cruite | Harp Day 2023

And That’s a Wrap!

Another successful Lá na Cruite | Harp Day delivered by harpers all over Ireland and the world, across Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22 to celebrate 1000 years of Irish Harping traditions.

Míle buíochas daoibh ar fad; bhí fuaim na cruite le cloisteáil ó cheann ceann na tíre ó thuaidh agus ó theas. More than 70 events that we know of (!) took place, with countless other events happening, as harpers took down their harps to celebrate the richness of our 1000-year old tradition. Our thanks to our funders and to everybody who supported us.

Meanma | Confident, Creative Harping

Lá na Cruite | Harp Day 2023 took place in person and online. The theme was Meanma; the morale, the spirit and the pride that harpers have in our harping tradition. Harpers worldwide, stretching globally to Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, United States and Europe, joined to showcase and embody that joy and courage on Lá na Cruite |Harp Day.

 In the meantime, get planning for Lá na Cruite | Harp Day 2024 which will happen on Saturday/Sunday October 19th/20th.

The Grianán an Aileach Suite was commissioned by Cruit Éireann | Harp Ireland from harper-arranger Joleen McLaughlin to celebrate Lá na Cruite | Harp Day 2023. Recorded at the Grainán an Aileach in Co Donegal, it featured a collaboration of 50 harpers from the Inishowen Harp Ensemble, Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble, Scoil Ruaidhrí Dall, Colmcille Harp Ensemble, Elver Harp Ensemble and the Derry Harp Ensemble.

Our Harps Alive Gala Concert at the Pepper Canister Church on Sunday 22 October featured Siobhán Armstrong (early Irish harp), Marie McNamee (concert harp), Aisling Lyons (harper) & Moya Cannon (poet), Triona Marshall (Irish harp) & Martin Tourish (accordion) and the Harps Alive Ensemble with TU Dublin Harp Ensemble who performed a new Cruit Éireann commissioned piece by Gráinne Meyer.

Our Harpers’ Call videos were a huge success this year with over 170 video submissions. You can watch them here or on our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/c/harpireland. You can also browse our Interactive Map on https://www.harpireland.ie/interactive-map-2023/ to watch the harpers’ call videos from all around the world.

Resource Pack for Teachers

Harp Ireland created a resource pack for teachers to connect with young students in schools across the country to tell them more about their national instrument.

The resource pack comprises of a harping history worksheet, crossword, quiz and colouring page.

Tá leagan Gaeilge ar fáil sa bhreis.
Download available from https://www.harpireland.ie/harp-day-schools-pack-ais-scoile/