Rising Harp Stars concert featuring two talented young harpists - Aisling Lyons and Donnchadh Hughes

Aisling Lyons is a multi-award winning harpist & concertina player from County Clare. Aisling comes from a family who are steeped in the tradition of Irish music, song & dance and holds 8 All-Ireland titles. Aisling has performed at Sidmouth & Whitby Folk Festivals in the UK, Shetland, Norway, France, USA, Canada & Australia. She graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Irish Music from the University of Limerick in 2018 & also holds a Grade 8 award with Distinction from London College of Music. She is currently studying for her Masters Degree in Music Education at The Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at The University of Limerick.

Donnchadh Hughes is a talented multi-instrumentalist with numerous awards to show for his young years. A member of the Dundalk Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Donnchadh has won All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil competitions for flute and harp. He has played on Ciarán Hanrahan's popular RTE radio programme Céilí House. Donnchadh is also a member of Music Generation Harp Ensemble.

From Sunday 30th June to Friday 5th July, the 34th International Festival of Irish Harp sees harpers from Ireland and all corners of the world gather at An Chúirt Chruitireachta, Cairde na Cruite’s residential harp festival in An Grianán, Termonfechin, Co. Louth. Alongside a series of workshops for harpers is the very popular public concert series that features a roll call of Irish and international leading harpers including Maeve Gilchrist, Cormac De Barra, Siobhán Armstrong, Janet Harbison, Oisín Morrison, Paul Dooley, Séamas Ó Flaithearta, Triona Marshall and many others. Rising harp stars will be showcased at the Festival lunchtime harp series at The Tholsel in Drogheda. Full programme at www.cairdenacruite.com/festival.