Music for the Earls of Ormond: Siobhán Armstrong plays the early Irish harp

From songs of love to evocative laments, Siobhán Armstrong’s playing draws her listeners into the sound-world of medieval to 18th-century Ireland. She is one of the world's most respected historical harpists, and one of the very few who plays the illustrious, ancient Irish harp, with a rare and exquisite bell-like tone created by its brass-wire strings. The ancient Irish harp tradition died out in the nineteenth century; join us on 13th March to hear it come alive once more!

Harpist Siobhán Armstrong

Siobhán Armstrong is one of Europe’s foremost harpists playing historical music on reconstructions of medieval to baroque harps. She performs and records with many of Europe's most prestigious soloists, orchestras and opera companies, and also collaborates with some of Ireland’s best-known traditional-music performers. Siobhán is the founding director of The Historical Harp Society of Ireland, spearheading the international rediscovery of Ireland’s ancient harp, strung in brass wires.

In 2015, she located a lost, historic Irish harp, and in 2016 she commissioned the first ever 3D-laser scan of a musical instrument at The National Museum. She completed her PhD in the area in 2020. The debut recording of her ensemble, The Irish Consort, entitled Music, Ireland and the Sixteenth Century shed light on a neglected century in Irish music. This was one of The Irish Times’ top five international Classical Music picks of 2021.

Siobhán would like to acknowledge The Arts Council of Ireland, Music Network and the Dept of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht for their kind support for her work.

Rothe House

There is no venue in Kilkenny quite like Rothe House. Built in 1594, this was the home and business place of wealthy merchant John Rothe Fitzpiers and his wife Rose Archer. The room where Siobhán will perform was the Great Hall of Rothe House - a room for welcoming guests and entertaining the great and good that visited Kilkenny. Now known as the Phelan Room, the room retains it's original high ceilings, vast fireplaces and bay windows that overlook Parliament St.

To hear the music of the time, performed on the ancient Irish harp, in an authentic space such as this, is truly an event not to be missed!