The Trinity College harp

We don't know when or where the harp was made.

This harp has a complex series of legendary histories associated with it. Its name, the ‘Brian Boru’ harp, comes from the traditional claim that it belonged to the High King of all Ireland, Brian Boru (Brian Bóroimhe, 941-1014).

According to the legendary accounts (Walker 1786, Bunting 1840, O’Curry 1873, etc.) the harp originally belonged to King Brian Boru. After his death, in 1014, he was succedded by his son Teigue (Tadc). Tadc in turn was succeeded in 1023 by Brian’s other son, Donough (Donnchad mac Briain). Donnchadh in turn was deposed by Tadc’s son in 1063, and left Ireland on a pilgrimage to Rome, carrying with him his father Brian's regalia, including the crown and the harp. He presented this regalia to the Pope, and died in Rome the next year, 1064.

The harp is supposed to have been given by Pope Leo X to the English king Henry VIII in 1520, when granting him the title ‘Defender of the Faith’ (the Vatican is supposed to have kept hold of the crown). Henry in turn gave the harp to the First Earl of Clanricarde (c.1543). His descendents are said to have preserved the harp until the early 18th century, when it passed (by the marriage of a Clanrickarde descendent?) into the family of MacMahon, of Clenagh, co. Clare. Thenn it passed to Commissioner Macnamara of Limerick. In 1782, the harp was presented by Ralph Ousley of Limerick, to the Rt. Hon. William Burton Conyngham, and he deposited it in Trinity College Dublin where it remains to this day.

If we believe this complex narrative, then the harp must date back to the early 11th century if not before. However, scholars from Walker (1786) on have doubted some or all of this story.

The usual dates suggested for the harp ranges from the 14th to the 16th century. Some scholars have compared it with the Queen Mary harp, the Keills cross slab and other West Highland artwork, and have suggested that it may have been made in South Argyll in the 15th century. However, the method used for such judgements is comparative study of the artwork and decoration, and the decoration of this harp is very under-studied (see the decoration page).

The harp is a composite object, in that it is not preserved today in the same state as when it was first made. It is however not clear what changes and additions or alterations have been made over the centuries. At the very least, there have been repairs to damage and cracks on the pillar and soundboard, as well as the decay of the base. The gems and their silver fittings seem to be secondary additions, obscuring or destroying earlier decoration beneath them. And many scholars suggest that the decoration itself is in many layers, with the harp being re-decorated in newer artistic styles. Finally, some people have suggested that the three main components (neck, pillar, soundboard) are not all of the same age or provenance.

From the 1790s we do at least have some evidence of changes that have been made to the harp. For more details of these, see the damage page.

Simon Chadwick