Concert: An Evening of Irish Harp at Lough Gur Celebrating Thomas Connellan

An Evening of Irish Harp at Lough Gur: Celebrating Thomas Connellan

Join us for a captivating night of traditional Irish harp music at Lough Gur Visitors Centre, where four of Ireland's finest harpists will share their artistry in a stunning lakeside setting. This special concert celebrates the musical heritage of Lough Gur and honours its connection to 17th-century harper-composer Thomas Connellan, who is said to be buried at the nearby Teampall Nua. The concert features Alannah Thornburgh, Kathleen Loughnane and Cormac Cannon, Michelle Mulcahy and Emma Benson.

Alannah Thornburgh is an award-winning Irish harpist and composer known for blending traditional Irish, American folk, and jazz influences in her music. Hailing from Co. Mayo, her work reimagines old melodies with contemporary harmonies and has been praised for its fluid and unique sound. Alannah has been nominated for multiple RTE Folk Awards and received the Arts Council's Next Generation Award. She is a founding member of Alfi, a trio that merges Irish and Appalachian music, and their debut album Say Old Man received critical acclaim. Alannah is set to release her debut solo album in 2024, inspired by fairy folklore and mythology.

Kathleen Loughnane, an Irish music Meteor Award nominee (2010), is renowned for her arrangements of traditional Irish dance tunes and airs for the harp and her research on 17th and 18th-century Irish harp composers. In 1990, she co-founded Dordán, a group blending Irish and Baroque music, earning a National Entertainment Award in 1993. Kathleen has released four CDs with accompanying books and has taught extensively in Ireland, the US, Japan, and Europe. Her work is featured in numerous publications, including The Royal Irish Academy of Music's Harp Syllabus. She is currently researching and arranging selections from Patrick O'Neill's manuscripts. She will be joined on the night by piper Cormac Cannon.

Michelle Mulcahy, from Co. Limerick, is one of Ireland's most talented multi-instrumentalists, mastering concertina, harp, fiddle, accordion, piano, and melodeon. She is highly sought after as a performer, tutor, and lecturer, touring extensively across Europe, the US, Canada, Asia, and beyond. Known for her revolutionary harp style, she has released four acclaimed albums with her family and two solo harp albums Suaimhneas and Lady on the Island. Michelle has collaborated with Riverdance composer Bill Whelan and the Irish Chamber Orchestra and appeared on various TV and radio programs. She holds numerous awards, including TG4 Young Musician of the Year (2006) and two Live-Ireland Female Musician of the Year titles. A distinguished academic, Michelle earned a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick, with research on Irish and Burmese harp traditions.

Emma Benson, from Keadue, Co. Roscommon, began learning the harp at age seven under Michael Rooney and later took up the concertina. She has won numerous All-Ireland medals, including the harp slow-airs titles in 2017 (u15) and 2019 (u18), and is an All-Ireland senior harp champion. Emma has also earned prizes at the O'Carolan and Nobber Harp Festivals and appeared on TG4’s Fleadh TV. Recently, she was a finalist in the Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada competition. Known for her strong rhythm and sensitive chordal choices.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Lough Gur Lakeshore Park & Visitor Centre, Lough Gur Lakeshore Park & Visitor Centre, County Limerick, Ireland