Ar Shlí na Cruite: Follow the Muckross Harp Trail at Muckross Traditional Farms Sat. October 27th 2012.

TheTrustees of Muckross House in conjunction with the Arts Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will host a “Harp Trail” -Slí na Cruite - at Muckross House and Traditional Farms where on one day, Saturday, October 27th 2012, Muckross will resound to the sound of harp music at the various key points of the Muckross experience: from the house itself to the shop and restaurant to the traditional cottages. Visitors will be invited to listen to the music of the Irish harp as they make their way from point to point on their tour of Muckross.

The day will comprise of a series of morning workshops in the main cottage- Quills- where Kerry harpers will have an opportunity to learn from 4 of the foremost exponents of the Irish harp in Ireland today – Marina Cassidy, (Killarney), Deirdre Granville (Dingle), Michelle Mulcahy (Limerick) and Kathleen Loughnane (Galway). The teaching will focus primarily on music of the ancient harpers.

The afternoon events will feature informal mini-sessions in each one of the cottages where the master harper will lead a harp session and give visitors, following the harp trail, insights into the ancient harpers and their music. The afternoon will conclude with a public performance from workshop participants and tutors in a specially erected marquee. This will be followed by an evening event; a public concert in Muckross House where the harp tutors will be joined by harper Aibhlín McCrann.

As this is a unique project, replicated nowhere else in Ireland, it has the potential to contribute to the renaissance of the Irish Harp in Kerry, re-imagine the tradition of the travelling harper in the 'Big House ', enhance student experience of the instrument and its music, increase audiences for the Irish harp in the area and further differentiate Muckross House and Traditional Farm as a cultural and heritage destination.

Programme:

Morning	Student workshops - prior booking is required - focus primarily on music of the ancient harpers. The workshops are not open to the members of the public.
Afternoon (1-4pm)	Muckross Harp Trail - informal mini-sessions in each one of the cottages where the master harper will lead a harp session and give visitors, following the harp trail, insights into the ancient harpers and their music. Entrance to the Muckross Traditional Farms is FREE.
Afternoon (4.30pm)	Public performance from workshop participants and tutors in a specially erected marquee at Quilles Farmhouse.
Evening (8pm)	Evening Recital in Muckross House preceded by a Wine and Canapes reception (7.15-7.45pm) in the Garden Restaurant. Tickets for evening recital and reception are €20.00

For further information on The Trustees of Muckross House please visit our web-site www.muckross-house.ie and look at the House & Gardens page and the Traditional Farms page which has images of the cottages which will be used as part of the Harp Trail.