The Brian Boru Millennium Harp Festival celebrates the harp and pipes heritage of Brian Boru with a week of festivities in Limerick - St.Mary's Cathedral, the Irish Harp Centre, the Locke Bar and the Hunt Museum.
Evening concerts at St. Mary's Cathedral feature national and international harp ensembles (including the Agen-Bordeaux Harp Ensemble (FR), the New England Irish Harp Orchestra (USA) and the Irish Harp Orchestra (IR) with renowned soloists Ann Heymann (USA), Janet Harbison and Seana Davey (IR) and more.
The festival's top feature is Janet Harbison's new work being performed at St.Mary's Cathedral on August 21, 22 and 23 (with matinee) entitled: Brian Boru, Lion of Ireland telling the Brian Boru story in a spectacular production involving 100 Irish harps (including the visiting harp ensembles with the Irish and National (Irish) Harp Orchestras), 5 Limerick choirs (directed by Maire Keary-Scanlan) and the Limerick Pipe Band (with piping soloist Shane Lillis).
Along with a summer school for harp and pipes, afternoon tours and late gigs at the Locke Bar, there is also a one-day conference on Brian Boru, His Harp and Heritage on Friday 22nd at the Irish Harp Centre (Castleconnell) with renowned experts and speakers including Prof. Patrick Wallace, Dr Rosemary Power and Dr Janet Harbison.