Unique harp conceived during Covid-19 pandemic to be premiered in Galway, 5/7/2025
Galway girl Úna Ní Fhlannagáin is an award-winning exponent of the modern Irish harp, fusing the nuance and 'dhrive!' of Irish traditional music with jazz and pop influences. She has performed all over the world, with Grammy and Emmy-winners. In 2020, Athenry Arts & Heritage Centre invited her to make a series of videos on the history of the Irish harp, giving her the chance to deep-dive into the fascinating world of the ancient Irish harp tradition.
Entranced by the bell-like resonance of metal strings, she conceptualised a brand new instrument, a hybrid of the ancient Irish harp and the modern Irish harp. With support from Music Network, she commissioned a new harp to be designed and built by wirestrung harp expert, Paul Dooley. Almost five years later, the project has come to fruition, and Úna will play this brand new harp in Galway for the first time this week.
The new harp has bronze strings, and the one-piece soundbox of the early Gaelic harp. The soundbox is made from Irish willow from Leitrim; in a beautifully poetic coincidence, the wood comes from near Keadue, the burial place of Ireland's internationally-renowned harper-composer Turlough Carolan. The harp has the string-spacing of a modern Irish harp, which enables the player to play using either fingernails or fingerpads. This new hybrid instrument also has the range and sharping levers of the modern Irish harp, enabling the player to perform a broad range of genres.
Speaking of her new instrument, Úna said "I am incredibly excited to perform on this unique new harp, the first of its kind in Ireland, and so far as I know, the world. The metal strings of the ancient Irish harp tradition give a uniquely resonant, magical sound, which I want to share with everyone!'
Hailing from Craughwell, nurtured by the Athenry arts scene and inspired by Inis Meáin, it was very important to Úna to showcase the new instrument in Galway. On Saturday July 5th, the new harp will be premiered at this concert in the Crane Bar, at 18:00. Úna will perform on the harp, joined by special guest, Canadian dancer Mélissandre T-B. Úna will release an album of her original compositions, recorded on the new harp, on the night.
