This celebration of our national instrument incorporates a wonderful series of public evening concerts comprising world class traditional musicians and ensembles.

The festival is funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and sponsored by RTÉ Lyric FM.

In its 26th year, the festival continues to attract harpers from all over the world and offers an opportunity to gain a full appreciation of Irish music, song and dance while developing the skills and repertoire of harpers through total immersion in all aspects of Irish harp playing, singing in Irish, dancing through collaborative workshops, sessions and public concerts.  The festival incorporates a residency programme for harpers, ranging in age from 7 years 70 to and a series of public concerts and open rehearsals /sessions held on a daily basis at An Grianan.

The Evening Concert Series for this year’s festival runs from Monday 27th June through to Thursday 30th June. These concerts provide the public with an unrivaled opportunity to explore the cross cutting relationships between Irish harp, its positioning within Irish traditional music and its place within the wider tradition of harping in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Festival Concert Programme 2011

Sunday June 26th
Fáilte Isteach

Poet and Aos Dána member Moya Cannon, Seán Ryan, whistle and Rick Epping concertina with Kathleen Loughnane, harp.

Venue: An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
Time:    8.00pm

Monday June 27th
‘A Window on The Neal Collection’ (1724)

Nicholas Carolan, Siobhán Armstrong, early Irish harp, singer Áine Uí Cheallaigh, Paul O’Shaughnessy and Paul McGrattan. This will be followed by a late night traditional session.

Venue: An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
Time:     8.30pm

Tuesday June 28th
A Family Affair

The Mulcahy Family and Michelle Mulcahy, harp with Scottish singer Alyth McCormack and Triona Marshall, harp explore and forge new musical connections with a riveting presentation of Scottish and Irish music.

Venue: An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
Time:    8.30pm

Wednesday June 29th
As I see it

Spanning the worlds of trad and jazz, Anne Marie O’Farrell, harp and Scottish harper Maeve Gilchrist share their unique approach in ‘Súil Eile’

Venue: An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
Time:     8.30pm

Thursday June 30th
Gala Festival Concert

Harper Cormac de Barra and Eamon de Barra, flute with special guests, T and the 3 Maggies – Tríona ní Dhomhnaill, Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill.

Venue: An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
Time:    8.30pm

A series of public afternoon workshops presented by tutors and performers will also take place throughout the Festival.

All concerts and workshops are open to the public.

Admission €15, Concessions, OAP and unwaged €10

Booking: info@communique.ie or 01-6768998 or 087 2800390

Tickets also available at Droichead Arts Centre at www.droichead.ie
For further information contact:

Aibhlin McCrann: 087 2800390

Karan Thompson 086 2550291

Communiqué International

26 Herbert Place,

Dublin 2,

An Chuirt Chruitireachta the International Festival of Irish Harp takes place at An Grianán, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth, from 27^th June to 1 July 2010 and incorporates a full programme of tuition, a series of public evening concerts, a number of outreach events, a Jubilee Symposium and a Keynote Address which will be given by Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Mary Hanafin T.D.

Concert Programme 2010

All concerts and workshops are open to the public.

Admission €15, Concessions €10

While these objectives espoused the provision of expert tuition, the publication of music and the establishment of a festival for the Irish harp, the society’s mission has continued to evolve and it has made a significant contribution to the development of a vibrant dynamic role for the Irish harp in Ireland and abroad.

It’s within this context, and bearing in mind the increased levels of interest in the Irish harp nationally and internationally as well as the growing numbers of harp players, that we believe it is timely to ask where we would like to see the Irish harp positioning itself in the immediate and longer term and how Cairde na Cruite could facilitate any future development.  As part of the programme for An Chúirt Chruitireachta 2010, we propose  hosting  a symposium  ‘The Irish harp – future directions ’  facilitated by Nicholas Carolan, Director of the Irish Traditional Music Archive, on Tuesday June 29 at 2.30 – 5 pm. in An Grianán, Termonfechin, Co Louth.  We hope that this initiative will provide an opportunity for everybody interested in the Irish harp to contribute to a strategy for its future.

We value your opinion and would be delighted if you could join us in An Grianán for this very important discussion.  If you would like to reserve a place at the symposium, you can RSVP your acceptance to info@communique.ie.   (Please respond in any event.) Admission is free.

We have an exciting programme of events planned for our 25th international festival. Please click here to view the attached concert programme for the festival week.

Best wishes,

Aibhlín McCrann

Director

An Chúirt Chruitireachta