Longford harper to feature at top festival

Renowned Longford harper Kim Fleming will feature at the An Chúirt Chruitireachta annual international harp festival, run by Cairde na Cruite (Friends of the Harp), in An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co Louth from Sunday, June 25 to Friday, June 30.

Kim is no stranger to the festival and she will be one of the tutors, lending her expertise in daily classes with participants from across the world.

She is one of Ireland’s most respected harpers and enjoys a successful career as a musician, teacher and arranger of traditional Irish repertoire.

Having travelled throughout Europe, Africa, USA and Russia, Kim is now settled in Longford where she teaches music in Ballymahon Vocational School.

Kim has adjudicated the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil for many years and continues to be in high demand as an adjudicator and examiner for the Department of Education.

Established in 1986, the An Chúirt Chruitireachta International Harp Festival sees harpers of every standard from all over the world come together for an immersive week of harping.

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Participants have the opportunity to engage with other harpers, gain a better understanding of Irish music, song and dance, and learn more about the harp and its music.

This year’s festival features a panel of exceptional tutors and talented artists set to deliver an outstanding celebration of harp music.

Residential students will stay onsite in An Grianán, where they will engage in daily classes, workshops and concerts.

They will learn about historical and contemporary aspects of the harp tradition and explore the harp in its many forms through performances and demonstrations on Irish, early Irish and pedal harps.

Events
The festival will kick off at 3pm on Sunday, June 25 in the picturesque surroundings of An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co Louth with a pop-up concert featuring local musicians from the Music Generation Louth Harp Ensemble. A harp-makers’ exhibition will also run throughout the afternoon with leading Irish harp makers on hand to discuss their work.

Entry to both the afternoon pop-up concert and the exhibition is free and all are welcome.

Members of the public are also invited to attend an exciting line-up of concerts taking place each evening for the duration of the festival (8pm daily at An Grianán, Sunday, June 25 - Thursday, June 29).

Renowned harpist Clíona Doris (pedal harp) and sisters Deirdre and Aoife Granville (Irish harp and flute) will open proceedings on Sunday, June 25, while Gerry Cullen and the Drogheda Singers, early-music trio Nobody’s Jig and harper Gráinne Hambly will take to the stage on Monday, June 26 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of collector Edward Bunting’s birth.

On Tuesday, June 27 Jean Kelly (pedal harp) and Trio Táin (pedal harp, flute, viola) perform in ‘Stars Align’, while the festival gala concert on Thursday, June 29 will feature two acclaimed duos, Anne-Marie O’Farrell and Cormac de Barra (harps) and Scottish musicians Rachel Hair and Ron Jappy (harp and guitar).

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The mid-point of the week sees harp ensembles from all across Ireland joining the fun. Artist-in-residence Rachel Hair will lead 7 visiting ensembles from Wicklow, Mayo, Antrim, Donegal, Clare, Louth and Dublin in a day of workshops, culminating in an evening performance on Wednesday, June 28 at 8pm.

A new feature of this year’s festival sees the introduction of events for babies and toddlers. As part of a new ‘Goltraí agus Geantraí’ series, leading harpers Jean Kelly and Aisling Ennis will introduce toddlers and their parents to the magic of the harp through interactive workshops at Drogheda Library on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29 at 11am. Admission is free but booking is essential (Drogheda Library: (041) 987 6162).

Tickets for all evening concerts (€15) can be purchased through Eventbrite (An Chúirt Chruitireachta International Festival for Harp 2023 at eventbrite.ie. See www.harpfestival.ie for further details.