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Celtic harp

The Celtic harp is a triangular frame harp traditional to the Celtic nations of northwest Europe. It is known as cláirseach in Irish, clàrsach in Scottish Gaelic, telenn in Breton and telyn in Welsh. In Ireland and Scotland, it was a wire-strung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play, and was associated with the Gaelic ruling class. It appears on Irish coins, Guinness products, and the coat of arms of the Republic of Ireland, Montserrat, Canada and the United Kingdom.

String instrument

cláirseach, clàrsach, telyn, telenn[1]

322.221
(manually tuned frame harp)

Ireland

01461

Europe and North America

2019 (14th session)

Representative

Historical Harp Society of Ireland

Archived 13 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine

An Chúirt Chruitireachta, International traditional harp course held annually in Termonfeckin Co. Louth, Ireland

The Clarsach Society/Comunn na Clarsaich, resource centre for the Scottish harp

Edinburgh International Harp Festival

List of surviving early Gaelic harps

Historic wire-strung harps and harpers listed and described on wirestrungharp.com

Web articles on Gaelic harp harmony and modes

Gaelic Modes

an exhibition catalogue from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Clàrsach (cat. no. 68)

Treasures of early Irish art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.

– descriptions of several types of historical European harps (with sound samples)

Asni: harp lore

– information on Celtic and other types of harps

The Celtic Harp Page

– learning to play the Celtic harp, tips and techniques, buying a harp

My Harp's Delight

– Celtic & Folk Harps in Wales

Teifi Harps

"Tears, Laughter, Magic" – An Interview with Master Celtic Harp Builder Timothy Habinski on AdventuresInMusic.biz, 2007

– using microphones and guitar amplifiers with folk harps

Celtic Harp Amplification Series

– Information on installing harp strings, harp string installation guide

Markwood Strings

Early Gaelic Harp site by Simon Chadwick

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