O'Carolan Harp and Traditional Music Festival

The O'Carolan Harp and Traditional Music Festival is held in Keadue, County Roscommon every August Bank Holiday.

The Festival was started in Keadue in 1978, to commemorate the famous Harper Turlough O'Carolan who lived in the area and is buried beside Keadue. Keadue is a small village of 200 people located on the shores of Lough Meelagh at the foot of the Arigna Mountains. The Festival includes Concerts, Ceili, Tuition on the Harp, Set Dancing, Harp Recitals and a Harp Competition with €2500 in Prizes.

Read more about the history of the Festival
   

A New Generation embraces the tradition.

This year the winner of the Senior Harp Competition will receive a specially engraved trophy, plus €600. Turlough O'Carolan was a renowned Harper and Composer and his memory is celebrated not alone in Keadue but throughout the world by so many musicians who play his music.

Among the groups that have played at the O'Carolan Harp Festival over the years include Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Chris Newman, Belfast Harp Orchestra, Grainne Yeats, Derek Bell, Harpers Bazaar, The Chieftans, De Dannan, Foster & Allen, Arcady, Dervish, Skylark, Sharon Shannon & Patrick Street to name only so few. During our thirty plus years , we have hosted artistes from all over Europe , Japan , USA , Canada and Australia in their musical pilgrimage to Ireland. 

You will see images of some of these music makers in our extensive pictorial gallery elsewhere on the site.