Lynn Saoirse - award-winning Irish harpist

Lynn's repertoire is based around traditional Irish music: from lively dance music such as jigs, reels and hornpipes to the haunting slow airs of ancient times, as well as the beautiful baroque music of the famous Irish composer for harp, Turlough O'Carolan.

Lynn also composes new tunes and songs in the traditional style and her arrangements for harp have been very well received, see book of harp tunes - "The Merry Witch". She has recorded two albums of her own as well as being a featured artist on three other recordings.

She has performed throughout Europe (including France, Germany, England, Wales, Belgium the netherlands and Greece) and the USA, as well as in the Caribbean (Martinique and Guadeloupe), Nepal (Kathmandu), and Argentina (Buenos Aires).

Lynn has won both the Galway and Connaught Fleadhs a number of times, as a solo harpist and as a member of a trio with Yvonne Kane (of the Kane Sisters and Sharon Shannon's Band)on fiddle and Mary Finn on accordion.

Lynn now lives in County Waterford, in the south-east of Ireland, after living for many years in Connemara in County Galway.

The new album, L'annmoor, is a collection of contemporary Irish songs by composers such as Jimmy MacCarthy, Paul Brady, Van Morrison and more, performed by Lynn on harp with Sue Matthews on vocals. Lynn and Sue formed the duo Súil during their tour in Argentina three years ago. On this recording they are joined by Nollaig Casey on fiddle and viola, Máirtín O'Connor on accordion, Cormac Breatnach on low whistle, Abby Newton on cello, James Blennerhassett on bass and Frank Kilkelly on guitar. track listing | review

Her album, On the Bright Road, was released in September 2002 to critical acclaim. To quote the review in Irish Music magazine: "Lynn Saoirse's harp playing has soul and feeling... and is a joy to listen to."

A previous recording, Champions of Ireland: The Harp, was reviewed by the US folk music magazine Dirty Linen, who had this to say: "Saoirse's harping is always engaging, rhythmically precise and clear in tone."

The late great harpist Derek Bell, of the Irish traditional group The Chieftains, also wrote about Lynn: "There is an exquisite delicacy all through her playing."

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"Lynn Saoirse, one of Ireland's premier and award winning harpists."