Belfast Harp Festival of 1792 is recalled in evening of music and history

The event, at 7pm at the historic First Rosemary St Presbyterian Church, is sponsored by the charity, Brain Injury Matters.

Admission, including wine reception by Gravity Group, is £10 at the door towards the charity.

The historic Belfast Harp Festival of July 1792 was organised by the Belfast Presbyterian United Irishmen in what was then Ireland’s most radical town with a population of 20,000.

It was the brainchild of Irish-speaking physician Dr James McDonnell who had learned to play the harp as a boy in the Antrim Glens and the Armagh-born organist, Edward Bunting. Harpers were invited to play at the Assembly Rooms in Waring St from all four provinces and Bunting recorded their airs for posterity.

They included The Coolin and Tabhair Dom Do Lamh/ Give me Your Hand. Bunting later published the airs.

Among those present in July was the founder of the United Irishmen, Wolfe Tone.

Not a fan of harp music, he wrote in his diary: ‘The harpers again ... strum, strum and be hanged.’

The evening of Harp Music will be presented by traditional Irish harpists, James and Katie Patience with historical commentary by historian and Irish News columnist, Dr Eamon Phoenix.

All welcome. Tickets tel: 028 90 705 125. Or pay at the door.