Why The Harp?

The harp is the ancient symbol of the Irish State. It is to Ireland what the bald eagle is to America.

In Irish lore it is associated with Dagda, the Celtic fire-god (the good god), whose playing brought about the change of seasons. Dagda's harp played a key role in his defeat of the Fomorians when he put the opposing army to sleep.

An ancient legend of the origin of the harp is that a woman walking along the beach came across the skeleton of a whale with the wind singing so sweetly through its sinews that she was lulled to sleep. Her husband, finding her so, observed the principle of the enchanting sound and made a harp to imitate it. Although its origins are lost in antiquity it is clear that as a symbol the harp is decidedly Irish.

The harp has been recognized as the symbol of Ireland for at least eight hundred years. Historical documents rate it as one of the ten oldest emblems. During the many years of ferment "the Green Flag" (Gold Harp on a green field) has consistently been raised to unite Irishmen in their revolutionary struggles and has represented Irish units fighting in foreign armies. (Check out the flag of "The Fighting 69th" or the "Irish army scene" in the movie Braveheart).

The harp as the Irish National emblem is based on the "BORU" harp which is displayed in Trinity College, Dublin. The harp is the official seal of the Irish State and was found on the obverse (tails) of Irish coins. (Ireland now uses the Euro as the official currency, while Northern Ireland still uses the British Pound.) The harp is also used on the cover of Irish passports, on the front of government buildings, and is the official flag of the President of Ireland. It is the only national emblem in the world that consists of a musical instrument.

Harpers played an important cultural function as oral historians and held a place of honor in ancient Ireland. Such a symbol of the Irish is the harp that at various times in history harpers (and harps) have been outlawed by the colonizing English. Queen Elizabeth I gave orders "to hang the harpers wherever found". Cromwell actually set out to destroy every harp in Ireland and, if caught, he had the harper's fingers cut off.