Reidun’s Harp Centre: Promoting the Harp in Kerry since 2006
Reidun is actively promoting the harp in Kerry/Ireland since her first arrival in 2006. In 2008, after moving to Kerry full time, she set up a harp rental scheme. This allows students to try out Ireland’s national instrument without committing straightaway.
Her teaching activities include private lessons at “The Green Harp” near Kilgobnet/Killorglin, and kid’s sessions. She often travels to give workshops at harp & folk festivals in Ireland & abroad, e.g. Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, France.
She taught the harp at Killarney School of Music from 2010-2017, and helped Tim O’Carroll with professional advice to get started with harp making at “Killarney Harps”.
Here’s a videoclip of Reidun playing one of the first “Killarney Harps”, recorded at “The Green Harp”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8O3vE1XZU4
Teaching Activity:
Reidun is teaching harp in Tralee (Mondays), Killarney (Tuesdays), at Reidun’s Harp Centre (Wednesdays) and at Currow National School on Tuesday mornings.
Reidun has over 20 years of teaching experience (previously extensive teaching activity in Belgium & Germany).
Publications:
“Mein Schlaues Harfenbuch”
(Harp tutor 2009 in German, 120 pages & CD)
“My little Irish Harp Book” (2018)
Suitable for small harps (e.g. 26 strings), even without levers. Its pace and selection of tunes is aimed at young beginners from 5-12 years.
Reidun’s Harp Centre provides:
Individual lessons, group sessions, student concerts, harp concerts, harp rental, publications for harp and advice on harp matters.
Amazing Numbers (update November 2017):
72 – that is the number of harp students who took lessons with Reidun for at least one term, since her first arrival in Kerry in 2006. This is not counting the pupils who only came for a once-off lesson. Some pupils left, some are with her since seven years, some kept it up, some – who knows. Going through old teaching notes revealed this amazing number, only possible to reach thanks to the harp rental scheme, entirely financed by Reidun privately. At some stage Reidun had 12 instruments rented out at the same time, and 20 harp students to get through every week ! She must admit, it was more out of passion than a “business idea for quick money”, but she doesn’t regret any of the hard work she put into it. Others are taking on the challenge of renting harps since, but Reidun can proudly say that she has done and still is doing her bit to make sure the harp isn’t dying out in Kerry !
How to find Reidun’s Harp Centre at “The Green Harp”:
Reidun’s Harps Centre is 10 minutes South of Killorglin, not far from Kilgobnet, in a townland called Glencuttane Lower/Shannera Lower.
Address “The Green harp”, Glencuttane Lower, Beaufort, Co. Kerry, Ireland, Eircode V93XR79
GPS N52.05185 W9.76863
here a link to google maps:
Directions to Reidun’s Harp Centre – How to get there:
From Killorglin: take the main Killorglin-Beaufort road (left after the bridge when coming into town), past Bianconi. Ignore 1st right (Glencar road). Ignore 2nd right (very sharp angled junction, can be easily overseen). Take 3rd right at cross of 4 roads (Manus cross), there is a sign for Farmstead Lodge & Kilgobnet). You will then soon meet a newly laid out junction with the main road turning left, keep going straight there (not left). Go straight through the next crossroads with a grotto to your left & an empty old house to your right. Keep going straight on up that road for 1 mile. You’ll see woods to your right and a ruin of a cottage to the right, and a polytunnel; turn right into that gate and you’ll see the house with a yellow door.
From Killarney: take the Killarney-Killorglin road until Beaufort petrol station, turn left over Beaufort Bridge, then right onto main Beaufort-Killorglin road, stay on this road for about 4 miles – You’ll go past the post office, eventually cross a river at a bridge between two very sharp bends. Past St.Mary of the Angels. Take 3rd left after this, (the 2nd being a cul-de-sac). This is Manus cross, there is a sign for Farmstead Lodge & Kilgobnet). You will then soon meet a newly laid out junction with the main road turning left, keep going straight there (not left). Go straight through the next crossroads with a grotto to your left & an empty old house to your right. Keep going straight on up that road for 1 mile. You’ll see woods to your right and a ruin of a cottage to the right, and a polytunnel; turn right into that gate and you’ll see the house with a yellow door.
