A journey through time and place. An exploration of the ancient roots of our musical and storytelling traditions. It brings together the beautiful sound of the modern harp and the ancient lyre and revisits some of our oldest stories.

Join Anne Harper for the premiere of this newly created piece. Anne Harper is a musician, storyteller and composer. ‘Boats and Bridges’ is her new one-woman show.

A professional orchestral clarinettist for many years, Anne’s life-long interest in archaeology and a curiosity about the origins of her family name inspired her journey into the bardic traditions of harp and story. Alongside her other instruments, Anne has been researching and performing on a replica of the harp’s ancient predecessor, the lyre (cruit). The bardic traditions of Ireland have their roots in this largely forgotten instrument, which pre-dates the triangular harp known today by millennia. The sound of the lyre underpinned the tellings of many of our most ancient stories, including those of the Ulster Cycle, and it is two stories from that Cycle which have inspired this new piece.The work is inspired by the shared mythological, archaeological and musical heritage of Ulster and Western Scotland. Following extensive research into ancient sites, sources, and musical instruments, Anne’s new work, ‘Boats and Bridges’ takes audiences on a unique journey through time and place, shining an inspiring new light on the ancient roots of our musical and storytelling traditions.

Anne Harper performs widely as a storyteller, harper and clarinettist. She has presented her work at the Ulidia International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Stories, the conference of the Group for the Study of Historic Irish Settlement and the Irish Post-Medieval Archaeology Group Conference, and her research has been published by Archaeology Ireland and by Trivent Press.

When: Friday 9th October, 8.00 pm

Where: The Old Church Centre, Cushendun

Tickets £10. You can book your tickets here.