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Bríd Harper

Irish Fiddler

Bríd is an Irish traditional fiddle player originally from Castlefinn Co Donegal.

bio

BIO

Bríd Harper is regarded as one of the leading Irish traditional fiddle players of the last forty years.

 
She grew up close to the east Donegal village of Castlefinn and started playing the fiddle at the age of nine. There is music on both sides of her family. Her grandfather Stephen Harper was a fiddler and came from a musical family. On her mother’s side her uncle Frank Kelly is a well known fiddler.  

In the mid 1970’s  Bríd began taking music lessons with Pat McCabe at her local branch of Comhaltas. She was also heavily encouraged by her parents who brought her to sessions and fleadhanna. There was a lot of Irish music in the house in the form of LPs and Cassettes. 


She won all the underage competitions at the annual All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil both in the Slow Air and Dance Music categories.  In 1988 she won three prestigious titles - Senior All Ireland, Fiddler of Dooney and Oireachtas na Gaeilge.


She is an MA graduate of the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at University of Limerick.  She has toured extensively and performed with many great musicians including Dermot Byrne, Steve Cooney, Arty McGlynn, Nollaig Casey, Maeve Donnelly, Harry Bradley, John Doyle, Sylvain Barou Nicolas Quemener and more. 


Bríd is highly respected and much sought after as a teacher. She has tutored at Summer Schools and workshops throughout Ireland, The UK, The USA, Canada, many parts of mainland Europe, New Zealand and Australia.  


She has appeared on every major broadcast channel on the island of Ireland as well as BBC Alba Scotland. She has featured on local radio stations in France, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. 
Her much anticipated solo recording “Bríd Harper” released in 2015 was described by Tradconnect.com as “solo fiddle of the most exquisite kind” and “ one of this year’s best traditional albums”.


Bríd is also a member of the SíFiddlers formed in 2018 which is made up of 13 female Donegal fiddlers. They released a recording in 2020 showcasing some of the most popular and better known Donegal repertoire. 


Bríd who resides near Dungannon Co Tyrone teaches fiddle on a one-on-one basis from her home and in recent times has begun  composing tunes in her spare time. She is a visiting tutor and performer at The Irish World Academy in Limerick University. 

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gigs

UPCOMING GIGS

2024

April 2-4th Fiddle Workshop Dún Uladh 

April 5-7 Roots in Music Roundwood Co Wicklow 

 

May 3rd: Féile Oriel Monaghan with Ryan Molloy

May 4th: Fiddle workshop Omagh CCE 

 

June 14: Doolin Folk Festival with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney

June 22: Fiddle Workshop Dún Uladh 

June 30th: Tory Island with Dermot Byrne

July 17th: The Attic Sessions  Doolin with Ryan Molloy 

July 18: The Cobblestone Dublin with Ryan Molloy

Aug 7-11 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann Wexford 

Aug 24-Sept 7: Brittany

Sept 27: Johnny Doherty Festival Ardara with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney

OCT 4-6: Joyce Brother’s Festival Kilfinane with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney 
Oct 12: The Cottage Concert Series Dungarvan with Darren Breslin 
Oct 18-20: Foxford Traditional Weekend with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney 
Oct 24: Matt Molloy’s Bar with Sylvain Barou & Libby McCrohan 
Oct 25: Cooley/Collins Festival Gort with Sylvain Barou & Libby McCrohan

 

Nov 3: Music Club ‘t Ey Belsele Belgium with Brendan Mulholland 
Nov 5: House concert @ Geert Lejeune with Brendan Mulholland

Nov 7: Huisduinen Den Helder Netherlands with Brendan Mulholland

Nov 8-10: Texel 
Nov 11: Bow & Blow Fest Boeschepe France with Brendan Mulholland

Nov 22: Oriel Centre Dundalk with Ryan Molloy 
Nov 23: Fiddle Workshop for BelfastTrad at Stranmillis College 10am-1pm
Nov 23: An Droichead Belfast with Ryan Molloy 
Nov 24: Dún Uladh Omagh with Ryan Molloy
 

TESTIMONIALS

For many years the wonderful Bríd Harper has been held in very high esteem by many musicians, including myself, as a very powerful and creative world class voice for Irish traditional music and a musician that is outward looking towards other traditions... An exquisite fiddle player in the very top echelon.

Máirtín O'Connor

contact

CONTACT

Phone +44 7926351533

Email bridharper@hotmail.co.uk

Youtube

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