Oidhreacht Dhonncha Uí Ámhsaigh: The Legacy of Denis O’Hempsey

Well here is a rare opportunity to see several of the world’s best harpers perform.  As you’ll see in my previous post, TG4, the Irish Language TV station, created a documentary on the legacy of the mysterious blind harper, Denis O’Hempsey, who was an old man back in 1792 when Edward Bunting noted down the [...]

More on Banríon an Cheoil: the Harp Recital in Belfast, Nov. 2009

Thanks to the sharp eyes of friend and doctoral research student Karen Loomis, I understand that TG4, the Irish language TV station, has presented a program this evening showing a number of the participants in the November 2009 Belfast harp recital. The harpers include some of the luminaries, such as Ann Heymann and Alison Kinnaird. [...]

New Documentary on the Downhill Harp

Banríon an Cheoil is a new documentary that follows lever harp player and singer, Nollaig Brolly, as she seeks out information about the Downhill harp and the technique required to play it. The Downhill (see the photo below) is a high-headed Irish harp that was once owned and played by the venerable Denis O’Hampsey, who [...]