| The harp that once through Tara's halls
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| | lull all who listened to sleep. So thus
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| the soul of music shed,
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| | did the harp became the dispenser of
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| now hangs as mute on Tara's walls, as if
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| | Sorrow, Gladness and Rest.Harps are
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| that soul were fled.
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| | played throughout much of the world. From
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| So sleeps the pride of former days, so
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| | ancient artworks, epic tales and poetry,
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| glory's thrill is o'er,
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| | we learn of harps in Babylonia and
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| and hearts that once beat high for
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| | Mesopotamia. We see them in the tomb of
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| praise,
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| | Pharaoh Ramses III , votive carvings from
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| now feel that pulse no moreTo tell the
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| | Iraq and sculptures of ancient Greece.
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| history of the Irish harp is to tell the
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| | From Africa, which has more than 100 harp
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| history of the Irish people. This ancient
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| | traditions, the instrument travelled
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| folk instrument with its beautiful,
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| | north to Spain and soon spread throughout
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| delicate sound is played today despite
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| | Europe. Strung with sinew, silk or wire,
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| being ignored, derided and proscribed for
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| | harps vary in size, structure and
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| centuries. Harpers, who in earlier days
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| | decoration according to the physical and
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| would have been hanged for their art, now
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| | technological environments of their
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| flourish throughout the world, as do the
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| | origins. African harps have been made
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| Irish themselvesLegend tell us the first
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| | from wood and gourd covered with cowhide,
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| harp was owned by Dagda, a chief among
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| | the Burmese sang auk has an arched
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| the Tuatha De Danaan. At one time during
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| | soundbox similar to the Turkish ceng
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| a war with the Fomorians, the gods of
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| | while European harps feature a triangular
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| cold and darkness, his harp was stolen
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| | frame, There is one feature that all
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| but later recovered by Lugh and Ogma.
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| | harps share: the strings run vertical
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| When it was returned it had aquired two
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| | (rather than parallel) to the sound
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| secret names and the ability to call
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| | box.Griffith of Wales employed harpists
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| forth summer and winter. From then on,
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| | in his court at the end of the 11th
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| when Dagda played, he could produce a
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| | century and the monk-historian Geraldus
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| melody so poignant, it would make his
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| | Cambrensis admired the great skill of the
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| audience weep, he could play an air so
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| | Irish harpers and remarked that some even
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| jubilant it would make everyone smile, or
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| | considered the Scots to be better
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| bring forth a sound so tranquil, it would
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| | players.
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