Limerick musician leads efforts to string harpists together from across Ireland

CASTLECONNELL musician Fiana Ní Chonaill has been awarded a grant for a project aiming to bring both professional and amateur harp players from across the nation together.

Ms Ní Chonaill has been given €3,900 by councillors following a recommendation by an expert panel.

They met to decide on allocations for a music bursary in honour of the late, and much missed lead singer of The Cranberries Dolores O’Riordan.

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Although there were 16 applications, just one was approved for funding.

And that was from the talented harpist, who also teaches the next generation of musicians.

Her project will link up professional harpists, encouraging them to combine their artistic practices to co-create newly composed music for the harp.

It will also bring together amateur harpists from across the island to collaborate with these professionals.

Initially trained as a traditional musician, Ms Ní Chonaill has expanded her repertoire to incorporate a wide variety of other genres.

She actively performs both in Ireland and abroad, and is also the director of the Tuamgraney Harp Festival, which took place last weekend in Clare.