St. Anne's Cathedral

Reading Bunting A Talk & Recital with Gráinne Meyer, Laoise Kelly and Ensemble Much of what survives of the old Irish harp repertoire comes from the notebooks Edward Bunting filled during the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival. Over three days, the festival brought together ten Irish harpers, with Bunting, a classically trained organist, tasked with writing down the music they played. The transcriptions he produced remain the principal source for much of the old harp tradition and have profoundly shaped how this music has been interpreted and understood ever since. But how faithful were these transcriptions, and how should we read them today? Any notation that fixes pitch and rhythm inevitably loses something of the nuance, flexibility and ornamentation of a musical tradition that was never conceived in purely written form. What Can Notation Capture? Join Gráinne Meyer, Laoise Kelly and ensemble for a fascinating talk and recital exploring the possibilities and limitations of Bunting's transcriptions. Through performance, discussion and musical demonstration, the event will examine what notation can preserve, what it leaves behind, and how musicians today engage with a living, improvised tradition through the written record. A unique exploration of the relationship between memory, notation and the living tradition of Irish harp music.

Celebrate Ireland’s rich harping heritage with award-winning harper, composer and PhD researcher Gráinne Meyer, who presents her lecture entitled, “Lost in Transcription: Reading Between the Lines of Bunting's Account of the Belfast Harp Festival”. Much of what survives of the old Irish harp repertoire comes from the notebooks Edward Bunting filled at the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival. Over three days ten Irish harpers gathered, and Bunting, a classically trained organist was tasked to transcribe their music. The transcriptions he produced are our main source for what the old harpers played; they have shaped how the tradition has been interpreted and understood ever since. But how faithful were they, and how should we read them? Any notation that fixes pitch and rhythm discards the nuance and the flexibility of a music not conceived in this manner. A harp recital follows led by Laoise Kelly TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year 2020. Laoise tells the story of 18th century Mayo harper Hugh Higgins, who performed at the 1792 festival and plays some of his music. The Cruit Éireann|Harp Ireland All-Island Harp Ensemble presents Michael Rooney’s Anáil Ársa na Seanmhaoine, a contemporary reimagining of some of the music from Bunting’s 1796 collection.

Uilleann Piper Kevin Rowsome will this year receive the 'SIGNIFICANT UILLEANN PIPER AWARD' at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast. The presentation will be made at the SEISIÚN MÓR on Thursday, 6th August at 2:45pm. Kevin is the fifth generation of Rowsome uilleann pipers including the iconic Leo Rowsome. It is timely that Kevin Rowsome would receive this award as Comhaltas celebrates 75 BLIAIN AG FÁS. Leo and Tom Rowsome were among the founder members of Comhaltas in 1951. The award originated at the Fleadh in Wexford 2025 when the recipient was Mark Redmond, a proud son of Wexford. The Significant Piper award was presented by the White family in honour of Tom White who passed away in 2007. Tom was a well known piper maker, one of few in the country, who hailed from Newbawn, Wexford. His uilleann pipes and flutes were in great demand and sold far and wide, not just in Ireland but as far as Japan and the United States. He used mainly hardwoods and ebony imported from Africa for his pipes. In addition to this, the Newbawn man was also well known at Leinster and All-Ireland Fleadhs, from where he had plenty of medals to show for his considerable talents. Tom, and the legendary Wexford singer Paddy Berry, both joined Comhaltas at the same time in the 1950's.

After a week of intensive tuition in traditional Irish music, song, dance and language, Seisiún Mór na hÉigse brings everyone together for a joyful celebration of learning, friendship and tradition. Hear the tunes learned throughout the week performed as hundreds of students and tutors fill the city with music in one of the most memorable highlights of Scoil Éigse. Don't miss this magical celebration.