I am very happy to be consulted on any aspects of the design of traditional wire-strung harps. The information on this page can also be very helpful to anyone who wants to order a harp from a harpmaker. I am always very happy to discuss the choices and options with you. Get in touch if you would like more information. Stringing and tuning is discussed on a separate stringcharts page.
Header photo: my harp plans in Folk Harp Journal no.204, 2024
The design and specifications of traditional wire-strung Irish harps was standardised in the 19th century by the harpmaker John Egan in Dublin.
While a present-day harpmaker is of course free to create their own designs, I think that John Egan’s design is still worth using as a starting point, for a number of reasons:
Firstly, Egan’s big (153cm tall) 37-string wire-strung harps were designed and made for the tradition-bearers associated with the Irish Harp Society in Belfast. The masters of the school, Edward McBride and Valentine Rennie, seemed to have worked closely with John Egan to specify the technical requirements of the harps he was making for their harp school. There are many very subtle features of Egan’s design of wire-strung Irish harp that are clearly influenced by the needs of the tradition-bearers.
Secondly, the harps made by John Egan for the harp school were copied through the 19th century by other harpmakers. The traditional Irish harpers who were still working in the inherited tradition through into the 20th century, wanted an Egan wire-strung harp, and if they couldn’t get an authentic Egan, they wanted a harp made that was based on Egan’s design. So it makes sense to follow the lead of these other 19th century harpmakers,, and go back to Egan’s design, rather than trying (and usually failing) to re-invent the wheel.
Thirdly, this design of harp just works so very well as a traditional wire-strung Irish harp. The voicing, touch, ergonomics and response of the instrument are all very balanced and are perfect for the traditional fingering techniques, method and style of traditional playing, and for the traditional Irish harp repertory.
I am now recommending this John Egan design as the ideal harp for anyone wanting to learn to play the traditional wire-strung Irish harp, or for use in teaching, performance and recording.
John Egan harp plans
Early in 2024 I produced a set of plans and technical drawings to make a copy of one of the John Egan traditional wire-strung Irish harps, based on a 3D scan of one of Egan’s originals.
The harp shown has 37 brass wire strings. The full-sized drawings show the side view and front view of all the parts, plus drawings and photographs of the interior structures.
The project to scan the original, and to produce the drawings, was funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The plans and drawings are available to download for free.
Other models of traditional wire-strung Irish harp
Over the course of the 19th century, other makers produced harps for tradition-bearers. These other harps were based on or developed from Egan’s designs. Unfortunately we don’t yet have any detailed technical studies or reverse-engineered makers plans for any of these other models. In time I hope to find funding to pay for this kind of work. If you would like to fund a scan and drawings please let me know.
Other makers active in the 19th century whose harps would be worth studying and potentially using as models for new instruments include Hewson of Dublin, Goudy of Belfast, O’Neill of Belfast, and Flood of Drogheda.
If you are looking for plans for 17th or 18th century style Irish harps, see my early harps page.
If you are looking for plans for medieval Irish or Scottish wire-strung harps, see my medieval page.