Donegal composer Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhride will be performing as part of the Harps Alive│An Chruit Bheo│Harps Leevin festival in Belfast this weekend.
Organised by the Harps Alive partnership, the festival will bring together the finest harpers from across the island to recognise the landmark event that collected music more than two centuries ago for future harpers to learn from and perform.
Having already opened with events in Magilligan and Mussenden Template last weekend, the festival represents five days filled with music, history and heritage. The majority of the festival takes place across a number of sites in Belfast, before culminating with an event in Dublin on July 24.
Hailing from the northwest Gaeltacht of Donegal, Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde is a celebrated sean-nós singer, composer, teacher and researcher. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Doimnic plays harmonium, accordion and uilleann pipes.
Doimnic was recognised for his talents as a sean-nós singer in 2009 when he won the prestigious and highly competitive Corn Uí Riada competition. The founder of four part choir Cór Thaobh an Leithid, Doimnic has performed at festivals across the UK, Ireland and throughout the globe.
Recent years have seen Doimnic represent Ireland at the European Capital of Culture in Leeuwarden, Netherland in 2018 and in 2021 he worked with a Japanese dance company on a collaborative project entitled Echoes of Calling.
Doimnic is set to perform at 230 Years-a Harping, a commemorative concert that will take place at First Presbyterian Church on Rosemary Street, Belfast; the concert will round off a day packed full of music and history on Saturday, 16 July.
The concert will see harpers from across Ireland gather to recreate the historic Belfast Harpers’ Assembly. Other artists performing at the concert include Siobhan Armstrong, and TG4 2021 Musician of the Year, Laoise Kelly together with 13 young harpers and poet Emily Cullen.
Harps Alive, a manifestation of a partnership between Harp Ireland and Reclaim The Enlightenment, is being held to mark 230 years since the Belfast Harpers’ Assembly in Belfast. In 1792 the Harpers’ Assembly in Belfast brought together 11 harpers, six of which were blind and the eldest Denis Hempson was 97 at the time.
Aibhlín McCrann, Chair of Cruit Éireann Harp Ireland, said that celebrating the anniversary presented a unique musical opportunity for the harping community.
“We are delighted to bring harpers from all over Ireland together to mark 230 years since the Belfast Harpers’ Assembly in Belfast” she said.
“Our harping heritage transcends boundaries and has really connected the partners, north and south.
“It is wonderful to hear the harpers’ music reflecting our living tradition and to see that there is so much interest in it. We are looking forward to welcoming audiences across the city of Belfast to our concerts, talks and exhibitions and in Dublin later in the month.”
John Gray, Chair of Reclaim the Enlightenment said the Harps Alive│An Chruit Bheo│Harps Leevin festival is rooted in musical history.
“In bringing more than 50 harpers to Belfast, the festival will create the largest ever such assembly in the city,” he said.
“It will be a celebration of the heritage of the harp and the contemporary revival of harp playing, and when it concludes we hope to have created more awareness of the harp tradition with the public and leave a lasting legacy.”
For tickets to Doimnic’s show and for more information about the festival go to http://harpsalive.com