Harpers For Tara event, some music videos

I hope you’ll enjoy these clips from the music sets performed by the harpers that turned up to perform together for the “Harpers For Tara” event outside the Dail, Ireland’s government buildings, on Saturday September 22nd 2008

Please take note of the web addresses at the end of each clip because this event had a double intent, one being to bring about awareness of Ireland’s most important Heritage that is demonstrated to be under threat with the building of the M3 motorway and the other being a demonstration to remind that the symbol of Ireland’s heritage and legacy is “the harp”.

Through these clips I feel the spirit of the harps 
are crying out to protect and preserve Tara
so we may return the harp, our hearts and our pride there forever.


This clip is “Brian Boru’s March”, played during the first set of tunes performed by harpers. Here the tune is performed by 20 harpers who had turned up so far. I think this tune is wonderfully performed considering most of the harpers had never performed with each other and performed without any rehearsal. Remarkable!



Here we have “The Harps That One At Tara’s Halls” , perhaps the most important tune to be performed on this day. The lyrics, by Thomas Moore, for this tune says so much today, and I will add these at the end
.


This version of “Brian Boru’s March” was in the second set of tunes performed by harpers at the "Harpers For Tara" demonstration outside the Dáil, the Irish Government buildings, on September 22nd 2008.

Here the tune is now performed by 30 harpers.



This is a beautiful tune called “An Goath Aneas”
that translates as “The Wind From The South”



And here is "O'Carolan's Concerto" that provided a gusto start to the second tune set, after the speakers. By now 30 harpers had arrived, and it shows with the fuller sound.



And here are the lyrics of Thomas Moore’s “The Harp That Once At Tara’s Halls”

The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls,
As if that soul were fled --
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory's thrill is o'er;
And hearts that once beat high for praise,
Now feel that pulse no more!

No more to chiefs and ladies bright,
The harp of Tara swells:
The chord, alone, that breaks at night,
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus Freedom now so seldom wakes,
The only throb she gives,
Is when some heart indignant breaks,
To show that still she lives!

We tell the story behind this poem-song when we guide our tours around Tara Hill.

Links you should know about

Save Tara
Tara Watch
Tara Pixie
Harpers For Tara

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