Harping Tradition In Ireland
Harping Tradition 1600 - 1845
The Irish harp has for many years been a great symbol for Ireland. Although now it is probably seen by most as just the image on the back of our coins, or on government letters, it has an extensive history rooted behind it. Here we will explore some of the historical background surrounding the harp; from its heyday until its unfortunate decline. For hundreds of years (11th Century onwards), the bardic tradition flourished. Poets, Law-Makers, Storytellers and Musicians were all hired by Lords to serve them and their court. Training for a bard was at least seven years at specialist bardic schools. The bards were thought of very highly and it was considered that they possessed a divine art – not everybody had the ability to compose. Their rank in society was even reflected in the clothes they wore. The more colours worn by a person, the higher ranking they had. While peasants wore 1 colour, knights were donned with 5, but the bards sported 6 colours in their dress. Performance in the Lords’ houses would be music played by the musicians and the poets reciting the verse. Musicians at this time in Ireland had three types of tunes to perform:
-Suantraí – To make people sleep
-Goltraí – Make people mourn
-Geantraí – Make people happy
At the turn of the 17th century, the bardic tradition in Ireland began to face issues as the bards had been banned under Elizabethan law in 1560 from entering any British homes. It was considered that they could well be spies, sent in under the cover of musicians, who would then report knowledge from within the British territory to the Irish. As a result of this, the Irish harpers had to begin travelling alone and accompanying themselves in performance, whenever they would be taken in for a period of time to a wealthy individual’s house.
One such harper who lived like this was Turlough O’Carolan - born 1670 in Co Meath. At age 14, he moved with his family to Carrick on Shannon for his father to work
The Irish harp has for many years been a great symbol for Ireland. Although now it is probably seen by most as just the image on the back of our coins, or on government letters, it has an extensive history rooted behind it. Here we will explore some of the historical background surrounding the harp; from its heyday until its unfortunate decline. For hundreds of years (11th Century onwards), the bardic tradition flourished. Poets, Law-Makers, Storytellers and Musicians were all hired by Lords to serve them and their court. Training for a bard was at least seven years at specialist bardic schools. The bards were thought of very highly and it was considered that they possessed a divine art – not everybody had the ability to compose. Their rank in society was even reflected in the clothes they wore. The more colours worn by a person, the higher ranking they had. While peasants wore 1 colour, knights were donned with 5, but the bards sported 6 colours in their dress. Performance in the Lords’ houses would be music played by the musicians and the poets reciting the verse. Musicians at this time in Ireland had three types of tunes to perform:
-Suantraí – To make people sleep
-Goltraí – Make people mourn
-Geantraí – Make people happy
At the turn of the 17th century, the bardic tradition in Ireland began to face issues as the bards had been banned under Elizabethan law in 1560 from entering any British homes. It was considered that they could well be spies, sent in under the cover of musicians, who would then report knowledge from within the British territory to the Irish. As a result of this, the Irish harpers had to begin travelling alone and accompanying themselves in performance, whenever they would be taken in for a period of time to a wealthy individual’s house.
One such harper who lived like this was Turlough O’Carolan - born 1670 in Co Meath. At age 14, he moved with his family to Carrick on Shannon for his father to work
Bibliography: The Irish Music Manuscripts Of Edward Bunting (1773-1843) An Introduction And Catalogue – Colette Moloney An Píobaire Vol 8 No 5