John Wallace was learning to play the traditional Irish wire-strung harp in Belfast in 1810. We know basically nothing about him apart from that. This post is just to put down a marker for him. If we find any more information we can add it to the bottom.
Continue reading John WallaceAuthor: Simon Chadwick
Patrick Byrne part 3: 1837-1840
In Part 1, I wrote about Patrick Byrne’s early years and education. Then in Part 2, we looked at his early career, working for patrons in Ireland and England.
By the summer of 1837, Patrick Byrne was approximately 40 years old; he had made a lot of contacts amongst the English and Irish aristocracy, and he had proved himself by his regular job at the rather high-class Royal Hotel in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.
We will continue the story on Wednesday 18th October 1837, when Patrick Byrne left Leamington Spa and began the journey North to Edinburgh.
Continue reading Patrick Byrne part 3: 1837-1840Sally Moore
Sally Moore was a blind traditional Irish harper in Belfast in the mid 19th century. We don’t have very much information about her. This post is to collate the references and to try and say something useful about her. Hopefully in time more references will be found.
Continue reading Sally MooreTair Hen Delyn
On Sunday I went to Llangefni, in the centre of Ynys Môn (Anglesey), to visit the traditional Welsh harper Huw Roberts, and to view his exhibition at Oriel Môn, Tair Hen Delyn / Three Old Harps.
Continue reading Tair Hen DelynEdward O’Neil
Edward O’Neil was learning to play the traditional wire-strung Irish harp in Belfast in 1810. This post is to try and say something useful about him.
Continue reading Edward O’NeilHennesy
We have one single description of Hennesy, a traditional harper in Dundalk, which was printed and reprinted in many English newspapers in 1804. This post is to discuss this report and try to say something useful about Hennesy.
Continue reading HennesyDennis Hampson
Dennis Hampson (also known as Denis, Hempson, O’Hampsey, and other variants) was a traditional Irish harper in the 18th century. He lived through into the early 19th century and so he has a place in my “Long 19th Century” project.
Continue reading Dennis HampsonThomas Shea
Thomas Shea was a traditional Irish harper in County Kerry in the 18th century. He was still alive (though very old) in 1792 and so he gets a place in my Long 19th Century project, about harpers who were active between 1792 and 1909.
Header image courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.
Continue reading Thomas SheaPatrick Byrne part 2: 1822-1837
In Part 1, I wrote about Patrick Byrne’s early years and education. This post is to gather references to the first part of his professional career.
Continue reading Patrick Byrne part 2: 1822-1837Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown was a traditional Irish harper in the mid 19th century. This post is to collate the couple of references we have to him, to try and tell a bit of his life story.
Continue reading Thomas Brown