Ancient Irish Musical Instruments - The Harp

The cruit was originally a small harp plucked with the fingers. It was subsequently played with a bow and is mentioned by an Irish poet about 400BC. The cruit was generally played resting on the knee, or sometimes placed on a table before the performer. The cláirseach, the modern form of the instrument, is found in fourteenth-century verse. It was a large harp which had 29 to 58 strings but as a rule 30; it was considered the festive harp of the chiefs, ladies and bards. The words cruit and cláirseach were seemingly interchangeable in Ireland.

In Gaelic Ireland, harpers were professional performers granted a high status in society as the musicians of the aristocracy. From at least the eleventh century they were excellently trained court musicians attached to the retinues of kings and chiefs, writing music to order. Harps were used to accompany the recitation of epic poetry, and probably performed solo pieces and songs. It was an oral tradition passed by ear from player to player and never written down. Under the Gaelic tradition, music and poetry flourished, and was protected as part of the established order.

From 1600 onwards this changed as invasions ousted the local chiefs and replaced them by Anglo-Irish aristocracy. Some harpers maintained their positions, but now with an English and European influence and bias in their music. Others became travelling musicians which led to a cross-fertilization of musical traditions and stylised music with the folk airs.

Throughout the seventeenth century the harp declined steadily and by the end of the eighteenth century the tradition had almost ended. The Belfast Harpers’ Festival in 1792 was the last occasion in which harpers came together to play and this was the only time that their music was written down in any quantity. Only ten Irish players attended, and one Welshman.

Some of the most famous were Rory Dall O’Cahan (c. 1600), who was one of the earliest harpers of eminence, Thomas O’Connallon (c. 1650), who was said to be the greatest of harpers, and Turlough O’Carolan, who was born in Newtown, near Nobber, County Meath in 1670 and died on 25 March 1738. He was considered to be one of the best in the old Gaelic tradition and perhaps the most remembered today for more than 200 wonderful music pieces that he composed.

Today harpers are quite rare and their numbers are very low in comparison with other folk musicians. Mostly they play as solo performers and are very popular at concerts, receptions and special events.

From The Complete Guide to Irish Dance by Frank Whelan, published by Appletree Press.