Rose Mooney's harp

Usually dated to the late 17th Century

Also known as Carolan's harp

Owned by the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, in storage (not on display).

"High Headed" design;
c,32 strings, longest 104cm

There is a b/w photo of this harp in Early Music, vol.36, no.4, Nov 2008 p.525

Since the 19th Century this harp has been claimed to be that of the famous harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738). Ann Heymann has argued that this instrument was in fact played by Rose Mooney (1740 - c.1798). It is badly damaged and crudely repaired at the base.

Dr James McDonnell wrote the following description of Rose Mooney's harp in a letter sent to Edward Bunting:

“ Rose Mooney's had thirteen strings below and eighteen above the ‘sisters’. A piece of timber of triangular shape (the angle truncated) was placed within the belly of the harp, through which the strings passed, being fixed by transverse pegs of wood, like quills of the Welsh harp differed in this respect, and there was of consequence a greater facility in replacing a string. The belly of Mooney's harp was split and cracked upon one side where it was covered with canvas, or pasteboard beneath yet it was light, sonorous, and much superior to Quin's harp. Its body was composed of three pieces of timber. There were four strips of copper placed transversely, and one strip longitudinally, to strengthen the timber. The transverse strips were closer as you ascended to the treble, where the tension of the strings or purchase is greatest. The obliquity of the short strings is greatest, and the management of this is a principal difficulty in the mechanical construction of the instrument. „

Letter from James MacDonnell to Edward Bunting, c. 1839

Since 2006, the letter above has been read every year to students of Scoil na gCláirseach - Summer School of Early Irish harp while inspecting the instrument, and every point noted by MacDonnell has a clear parallel on the instrument, reinforcing the identification of this harp as being Rose Mooney's.

In August 2008, students at Scoil na gCláirseach noticed fragments of original strings wound round the treble tuning pins. No analysis of these has yet been done.

References

Simon Chadwick