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THE ARTS COUNCIL is conducting a major national survey on harping in Ireland.
Toner Quinn, founder of the Journal of Music, has been commissioned to carry out the research.
Quinn said that the survey will help the Arts Council decide how it should invest in harping in the future.
“The harp has not been given the attention it deserves. It’s one of the bedrocks of Irish music. Everything in traditional music is influenced by the harp.”
He added that the harp also has “huge symbolic value” for Ireland, noting its presence on everything from “our coins to the uniforms of army soldiers”.
Quinn said there has been a resurgence in harping in recent years, stating: “Since 2000, there’s definitely more people playing the harp.”
He noted the diversity of the instrument, saying it is used in various music styles – from traditional and jazz to contemporary and beyond.
People often only hear it at weddings where a certain type of repertoire is played, but there’s a whole other side to it.
The Arts Council has said that it is keen to to examine the current “vibrant” state of harping and “identify gaps in provision and explore opportunities for cooperation and development to secure the future of the instrument”.
Paul Flynn, Head of Traditional Arts at the Council, said the survey represents “an important opportunity to document the full breadth and scope of harp playing throughout the island of Ireland”.
We are fortunate to have such a rich harping history and so many excellent contemporary practitioners. The Arts Council wants to engage as many harpers as possible in this research to guide our work into the future.
Quinn, who is a lecturer at NUI Galway and a fiddle player, previously worked with the Council to compile the report Towards a Policy for the Traditional Arts.
The deadline for completing the harping survey is Tuesday, 8 July. The final report is due to be completed by the end of August.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to help shape the future of the harp in Ireland,” Quinn added.
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They should ask John-Joe.
Bet you it was because of this leap second issue that John Joe is looking at auctioneering as a career. Smart lad. He saw the trouble coming!
Waaaaaaay too much time on their hands
Why worry about leap seconds when summer time with a bi-annual movement by one hour causes large disruption not only to a technological age but also to personal sleep patterns.
Summer time was invented when farmers were the majority of the workforce and now form a tiny minority.
I personally find it disruptive as when dealing in international business, different countries change times on different days or not at all.
Don’t take away our long summer nights! It’s all we have left in Ireland…
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day….
Ha.
I clocked that on the second time..
Sure it’s all relative.
They’ll have a hard time coming up with a solution
Alan lawlor – I wouldn’t say farming is now a minority. It seems to me farming is back bone of our economy and will be for ever more I wreckon. And there not the reason for the clock change. Its done globally!
Derek. I am not saying we should dispense with farming. But should we all be disrupted for a few thousand now directly affected? Especially as it was designed for things like milking in early morning and harvesting late at night without the modern benefits of electricity in milking parlours or spotlights on harvesters.
Regarding global use of summertime, it is not used in all countries and the changeover date differs from country to country (eg US is different). Some countries including UK have been debating its abolition in recent years
You can get better food cheaper from any other country
What actual time is it,right now?
Hammer Time!
Well we obviously cant “dispense” of farming. Its keeping our economy alive at the moment. Strongly rumoured the suger industry is gonna be ressurcted. But I do agree with the abolishing of the hour change. No need in this modern world. Oh ya as I grew up I was always told it was for school drop offs and not for the farmers. And to JIM ‘better food imported “for cheaper is going in for ridiculous quote of the week. Are u for real?
Wait a second…
Time is irrelevant ,concerning builders plumbers or anybody in construction industry . Two weeks they said !!!
“15 seconds every hundred years” Doesn’t sound like the world would end coz of it, does it?
Time doesn’t exist, clocks exist.;
Dahh dah dah da, da da, da da. :)
:( my comment moved… This was supposed to be under hammertime. Granted… it’s still fairly crap.
Give them a few seconds to think about it.
have your say