The Irish harp is the official symbol of Ireland Celtic harp. Gaelic harp. Clrsach. Clirseach. Guinness harp.

The Irish harp, though not as well-known internationally as the shamrock for being an Irish symbol, is the official emblem of Ireland. This status dates back several centuries and the instrument's history tells much about the history of the island. The Flag of Leinster

The flag depicts the Irish harp.

The Guinness Harp The Irish harp emblem was first used by the Dublin brewery of Arthur Guinness back in 1862 when it appeared on the label of the company's bottle of stout. Just eight years later, it was registered in London as the brewery's trademark. The emblem is based on the famous Trinity College harp (see Surviving Examples, in main text), but it has undergone many changes of style over the years and today's version is hugely simplified with just 6 strings. The Harp of Erin, from an 1855 engraving. Today, a representation of an Irish harp is to be found on the Presidential Seal and on many official documents, on passports, on the flag of Leinster (but not the national flag), on Irish euro coins and as a logo for a number of prominent statesupported organisations such as the National University of Ireland. As one of the national symbols of Ireland the harp is also used extensively by businesses and other corporations wishing The biggest difference between the Guinness harp and the Irish harp that serves as the official symbol of Ireland is that the brewery's harp faces to the right

to convey 'Irish-ness'. Guinness bottle labels are perhaps its most famous gig while a heavily stylised harp puts in an appearance on the tail fins of budget carrier Ryan Air. There are a number of names for the Irish harp. It is also known as the Celtic harp, the Gaelic harp, the clrsach (in Scotland) or the clirseach (in the modern Irish language). Purists might argue some minor points of difference, but to the layman, these terms are synonymous.

while the State's Irish harp faces left. In 1960, with the Irish harp device already so synonymous with Guinness, the company named its very first lager 'Harp'.

The history of the Gaelic harp. While its earliest origins are lost, the Irish harp has a certain history dating back at least 1000 years. Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland (d 1014), is said to have been an accomplished player, but while he is attributed with all manner of skills for The Guinness Storehouse is one of which there is no evidence, surviving 12Dublin's top attractions. century annals refer to the Celtic harp The Storehouse was originally built by being the only music played during the Arthur Guinness and Co Ltd for use as a Crusades. fermentation house. After a series of adaptations, the building was no longer suitable for modern brewing processes and it closed its doors in 1986. But just over 14 years later, those doors were thrown open again to welcome visitors. The Guinness Storehouse has gone on to become one of the top three attractions of Dublin. Gaelic harp on 5c Euro coin. At this time, the Gaelic harp was revered in Celtic culture (and all over Europe). It was de rigeur for Scottish and Irish kings and chieftains to have their own resident harper who, in turn, enjoyed high status and special privileges. The musician's main duties were to accompany poetry recitations or the singing of psalms. While they may have composed their own music, they did not write them down. The English monarch Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland in 1531. Such was the fame and prestige of the county's harp,

it was chosen as the official national symbol of Ireland and stamped onto the coinage of Henry's new realm. The Celtic social order was on the wane by this time and as the decades pass, harpers lost much of their status, and their numbers declined. Some become travelling musicians, playing their harps and singing, because rich patrons no longer retained them. In many ways, the harp's success became a problem. Still very much recognised as a symbol of Ireland and Irish pride, the Gaelic harp became an emblem of resistence to the Crown and England. As such, it was banned at the end of the medieval period and the old Celtic harp tradition began to die out. By the 18th century, the Scottish clarsach had disappeared. A century later, the Irish harp, too, was extinct. Fortunately, a group of harpers had been lured to Belfast in 1792 for a traditional harp festival where the musician and folk music collector, Edward Bunting wrote down the music they played and the terminology of the harpers.. This was the first time traditional Gaelic harp music had been recorded on paper and it is thanks to Bunting that these genuine Celtic tunes were not lost forever. Characteristics of the Celtic harp

The traditional Irish harp's distinguishing features are its use of wire (usually brass) strings and its resonating chamber carved from a single log (traditionally willow). The highly tensioned strings are played

with fingernails, producing a very clear sound. Today, many Irish harps use gut or synthetic string and the construction of the chamber is also significantly different. Rather than being hollowed out from one piece of wood, the soundbox is more likely to be fabricated from sawn pieces of wood glued together which creates a different sound. Traditionally-constructed Irish harps also tend to be smaller than modern models. Surviving examples of ancient harps Less than a dozen Celtic harps survive from the medieval (pre-1700) period. The oldest is the one on which the 'official' national emblem of Ireland is based: the Trinity College Harp. Also known as the Brian Boru or O'Neill harp, this 15th century Irish harp is on display in the Long Room of Trinity College, Dublin. Two other medieval harps are preserved in the Museum of Scotland: The Queen Mary harp (15th century) and the Lamont harp (date uncertain). 1 Return to the main Irish Symbols page.

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Irish coffee recipe pure indulgence This recipe for Irish coffee brings you a taste of Ireland, best savoured when sipped from Irish coffee glasses.

Historical Map Of Ireland Linen Tea Towel, from Northern Ireland based Ulster Weavers. There's nothing really traditional about this Irish coffee recipe not if you expect a good few generations to have passed before something achieves the status of traditional. Certainly our ancestors of the 18th and 19th century wouldn't recognise it.But while Irish coffee (or any coffee for that matter) wouldn't have been on the horizon of the majority throughout those years, the drink has become one of the symbols of Ireland. The drink wasn't created until 1942 when a young Tyrone chef called Joe Sheridan served it to air passengers one cold winter night at Limerick's Foynes airport. Since then, it has taken on a personality synonymous with indulgence and luxury, and comes best dressed in its very own, distinctively designed, Irish coffee mug. So what is the secret ingredient of this instantly recognisable black and white beauty? You might be told that the cream sits dutifully on top of the hot drink only if you've used Irish whiskey (rather than Scotch or Bourbon). It's a good yarn, but it isn't true. The secret lies in the way you pour the cream. This Irish coffee recipe explains how to get perfect results Ingredients: 1 1 large measure Irish whiskey 2 2 tsp brown or demerara sugar 3 strong hot coffee, freshly percolated 4 Lightly whipped cream or cold double cream

Method: Gently warm the Irish coffee mugs. Place a teaspoon in a mug to ensure the glass doesn't crack. Half fill with very hot strong coffee. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Pour in the whiskey. Remove the teaspoon. Top up to within half an inch (1.5cm) of the top of the mug. Hold a fresh teaspoon, curved side up, over the glass but very close to the coffee. Gently, and slowly, slide whipped cream off the teaspoon onto the top of the coffee so that it floats. If using liquid cream, pour the cream very slowly over the back of the spoon onto the top of the coffee. Don't rush. If you hurry this, the cream will sink. It'll still taste great but won't look as impressive! Who cares if the Irish Coffee recipe has been around for only sixty-odd years?

Love this Irish coffee recipe? Try some rather more traditional Irish food and drink. More well-known symbols of Ireland. Return to Irish Genealogy Toolkit Home page. Irish stew recipe Carrots are optional in this traditional Irish lamb stew

An Irish stew recipe is sure to do two things: instruct a cook in the preparation of a superb but simple meal, and dig up the age-old carrot debate!To Irish cooking purists, our friendly orange vegetables are not on the ingredient list (they certainly don't appear in 18th and 19th century handwritten Irish stew recipe books). To others, they add a bit of colour and ... er... something extra that no one seems to have yet defined. Perhaps this inability to describe their value is the reason some chefs are so sniffy on this subject. My mam ignored the no-carrot brigade on account of economy. Adding the vegetable stretched her Irish stew recipe to produce a satisfying meal for the nine of us without breaking the bank.

Carrot inclusion is, therefore, traditional to me, and I still chuck a good few into the pot. But I'm going to offer you a choice. Add them or don't. Your choice of meat cut is also open to discussion because original Irish stew recipes would stipulate neck mutton chops or kid. This dates back to the days when most sheep flocks were kept for their wool, their milk, and other milk products such as cheese. When their meat reached the table it was only after the animal had exhausted its productive years. This mutton required long boiling to tenderise it. This would be done on low three-legged mutton pots, specially designed for just this purpose. Today, it can be difficult to get hold of mutton, so choose neck of lamb, chops from the neck or shoulder, or stewing lamb.

Ingredients for four to six portions: 2lb (1kg) neck of lamb, cut into strips about half an inch (less than 2cm) thick, or chops, or chunks of stewing lamb 2 large onions, sliced into rings a quarter inch (less than 1cm) thick 2lb (1kg) potatoes (preferably a floury variety), in slices about half an inch (less than 2cm) thick, or cut into mouthful sized chunks 2 large carrots, sliced (optional) 14 fl oz (400ml) lamb stock (or, as in a more recent tradition, half stock and half Irish stout such as Guinness) 2-3 tbs parsley, finely chopped (optional) sprig of rosemary (optional) salt and pepper Method: The ballad of the Irish stew recipe Irish lamb stew was recognised as the national dish of Ireland as early as the 18th century. It even has its very own ballad: For all sorts of stomachs there are dainties, but the best feed between I and you, is some mutton with onions and 'tatties, made into a real Irish Stew. Then hurrah for an Irish stew, that will stick to your belly like glue. The sons of St Patrick for ever, and three cheers for a real Irish stew.

Starting with the onions, build up layers of vegetables and meat in a large saucepan, adding half the parsley and a bit of salt and pepper as you go. Finish with a layer of potatoes. Pour the stock over and cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 1 - 2 hours. If you have used floury potatoes, they will have broken down to some extent into the liquid. If you have used waxy potatoes, they won't, in which case you should remove a few slices, mash them and return them to the pan. To present the stew to the table, sprinkle the remaining parsley over the dish and serve in bowls accompanied by soda bread and a glass of Irish stout. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 1 - 2 hours.

1 2

Love this Irish stew recipe? Try some Irish soda bread to serve with it. Return to Traditional Irish Food page for more examples of Irish cooking.

3 For less 'everyday' dishes, take a look at these traditional Irish recipes for Christmas and celebrations. 4 Return to Irish Genealogy Toolkit Home page. Colcannon recipe Everyone's favourite Irish potato recipe enjoy on its own or with boiled ham Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services71

The Colcannon recipe below marries Ireland's favourite vegetables potatoes and cabbage. It's appropriate, then, to find some customs that brings together Colcannon and marriage.The first is for a young girl to go blindfolded into the cabbage patch to select and lift a cabbage. The root of the vegetable is then examined and its characteristics are taken as predictions of her future husband. (Too bad if she selected a cabbage with a withered, short, hairy, dirty root!)

After following the traditional Colcannon recipe below, she would hide a ring inside a large bowl of Colcannon and present the dish to a large family or community gathering. Each diner would in turn take a spoonful of the vegetables. The one who found the ring would be the next to marry. No doubt the qualities of the root she had looked at earlier would determine how happy she was with the outcome of this meal! Colcannon remembered Did you ever eat Colcannon when 'twas made with yellow cream and the kale and praties blended like a picture in a dream? Did you ever take a spoonful and dip it in the lake of clover-flavoured butter that your Mammy used to make? Oh God be with the happy days when troubles we had not and our Mammies made Colcannon in the little skillet pot. Another custom, well-practised in many parts of the island, was for the first and last spoonfuls of a Colcannon meal to be placed inside a young girl's stocking. This was then hung from a nail in the door of her home. The first man to enter would be her future husband. Possibly the earliest reference to this Colcannon recipe comes from a 1735 publication where it was described as a Halloween supper in Dublin and was followed by apples and nuts. It would probably have been served with parsnip in the mash, as that is the tradition in counties Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford. In the recipe below, however, I have not added this vegetable. Ingredients: 3lbs (1.5kg) potatoes, floury variety 1lb (500g) cooked curly kale (or savoy cabbage), finely shredded 2oz (25g) butter pint milk (full fat) or single cream 6 scallions*, chopped. *Scallions are also known as spring onions. The potato and the Irish

Tradition has it that the first potato was planted in Ireland in 1585. Within only a century and a half it had become the staple of the Irish. The crop had many advantages. As little as half an acre of land could feed a family, and, more importantly, provide nearly all the nourishment it needed. An average Irishman ate up to 10lbs of potatoes every day. This, together with a cup of buttermilk at each meal, plus some occasional fish and eggs, was a near perfect diet in terms of vitamins, calcium and protein. Method: Peel and boil the potatoes until very tender. Drain and mash them until they are smooth. Add scallions to the milk in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the milk and scallions to the potato mash and beat well until fluffy. Mix in chopped cabbage (traditionally, this should have been boiled in water with a piece of bacon fat or a pig's trotter) and half the butter. Serve in individual bowls, making a well in the centre of each serving and dropping in a knob of butter. Preparation: 15 mins. Cooking time: 20 mins, plus 20 mins to reheat. The above quantity of Colcannon can be served as an accompanying vegetable (for 6-8) or as a main dish. For the busy cook, the good news is that it can be cooked in advance and reheated in the oven at 180C, 350F, gas 4, for 20 mins. Where next? If you like this Colcannon recipe, check out some more traditional Irish dishes. Irish whiskey cake recipe One of the most popular traditional Irish recipes

Irish whiskey cake is one of the most traditional of Ireland's best-known baked treats. Fancy versions, with all manner of spices, nuts and candied fruits, often appear at Christmas time or prepared for special family gatherings such as baptisms and birthdays.For presentation purposes, they might be baked in two cake pans and, after cooking, piled one on top of the other, separated by a butter icing layer. More icing is then spread across the top and

decoration added. Or it might be a standard fruit cake which has been dosed with Irish whiskey during its maturity period. Much simpler, lighter and cheaper versions are baked for weekends or for any occasion when friends or family might be popping in for afternoon tea. My Irish whiskey cake recipe falls into this latter category. It's a tasty cake to share with friends, and the taste of whiskey is barely perceptible. Nothing other than basic ingredients, a glug of whiskey, and a hint of orange is added, not even decoration. I bake it in a loaf tin rather than in cake tins and can promise that this pure and simple Irish whiskey cake goes down very well with a hot cup of freshly-brewed Barrys tea.

Ingredients for a 1lb cake tin: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Orange 2 tbs Irish whiskey 6oz sultanas 6oz butter 6oz caster sugar 3 eggs, beaten 8oz self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder S pinch of salt.

Method: Locke's Distillery in Kilbeggan, co Westmeath, is thought to be the world's oldest licensed distillery. It opened in 1757 and ceased production in 1954. It is now owned by Cooley Whiskey and used as a warehouse. A small museum is open year-round to visitors. Tel: 00 353 (0)506 32134. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the orange thinly. Place the peel in a small bowl and

squeeze 1 tsp of orange juice over it. Add the sultanas and pour in the whiskey, lightly coating all the fruit. Cover and leave in a cool place for a few hours or overnight.Heat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Discard the orange peel from the small bowl. Grease the loaf tin. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mix is fluffy, then add a little of the beaten eggs. Stir in. Continue adding the egg and mixing. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together and gradually fold it into the mixture. Stir in the sultanas and any remaining liquid. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin (or cake tins if you are using them) and bake for 60-75 minutes until cooked through and the top is light to mid brown. Taste that whiskey My Irish whiskey cake recipe produces a cake that barely tastes of whiskey. That's how I like it. If you want to ensure your guests taste the 'craythur', here's what to do: After baking and while the cake is still hot and in its tin, prick the top with a skewer in several places. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of whiskey over. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out. Slante! Check the cake after 20-30 minutes; if it appears to be browning too quickly, wrap some foil over the top. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Serve hot or cold, in slices.

10 Love this Irish Whiskey cake recipe? Try this Irish coffee recipe to serve with it. 11 Return to Traditional Irish Food page for more tastes of Ireland. 12 Return to Irish Genealogy Toolkit Home page. The Irish Celtic cross Irish Celtic symbols. The Irish cross. Ancient Celtic symbols.

The Irish Celtic Cross is a symbol that conjures up all the mystery of the Dark Ages. It is also a popular symbol of faith, whether the belief is

pagan, christian or of any other religion. But perhaps it is most widely known as a powerful symbol of Irish heritage.Its name came about simply because most of the earliest examples were found in the Celtic island of Ireland. They have also been found in other Celtic lands in southwest England, in Scotland and in Wales but they became popularly associated with Ireland because they are most numerous on the island. Catholics usually refer to this style of cross with a ring connecting the four sections as the Irish Cross. To be as inclusive as possible, I'm going to refer to this style as the Irish Celtic Cross. The history of the Irish Celtic Cross It is not known exactly when the Celts first started erecting monumental stones. Nor is it clear exactly why they developed this habit. Certainly it was a relatively common practice long before Christianity arrived in Ireland, and Celtic historians suggest that the basic shape of these crosses may have been meant to represent trees, which they held in great reverence. When Christian missionaries arrived in the 5th century they were keen not to upset the early pagan Celts. Cleverly, they merged Christian cross and Celtic cross designs, to make the new religion more readily acceptable and 'familiar'. According to a popular legend, St Patrick himself was responsible for the design when he combined a Christian cross symbol with the sun, one of the most important and ancient Celtic symbols of life.As is the way of most legends, there is no evidence that this really happened. Rather the contrary. Archaeological discoveries suggest the design of the cross predates St Patrick's arrival. But it was, nonetheless, Christian monks who were responsible for most of the crosses that remain standing. Three types of Irish Celtic cross The cross falls into three categories: When the cross is clearly an ornamental or ceremonial standing stone AND it s at least 800 years old, it s called a Celtic High Cross. When the cross is clearly a standing stone AND it dates from the 12th century onwards, it's original purpose was probably as a boundary or territorial marker. These are correctly called Celtic crosses, but they are not High crosses, even if they are quite tall. When the cross marks a grave or is some other type of memorial, you can be quite sure it is a relatively modern. The phenomenon of Irish Celtic cross memorials dates from only the 1860s when they became de rigeur for Dublins fashionistas. Irish Celtic cross designs

In the absense of any more obvious clue, the relative antiquity of a Cross can be guessed by studying certain features.

In the oldest stones, the arms of the cross do not usually extend outside the ring. In later stones, they do. The Panel of the very oldest stones usually contain ancient celtic symbols geometric or n ature symbols whereas later and medieval crosses are decorated with biblical scenes. Modern stones have returned to geometric symbols. Spiral and key patterns were typical of Celtic cross art and were borrowed from Celtic metalwork. In the photos above (but not to the left), you will notice five circular features (known as bosses) on the top, ringed section of the cross. These, together with the ring, are thought to represent the rivets of the Celtic warrior's shield. Although not essential to the design, they remain one of the most common Irish Celtic symbols and a frequent feature of these crosses. Find out more Today, this ancient symbol seems to be everywhere in Ireland. Not just out in the countryside or in graveyards and cemeteries but in many logos and advertising formats, on t-shirts, souvenir coffee cups, jewellery and key-rings, and, in perhaps the most extreme way to broadcast your Irish genealogical heritage, in the form of Irish cross tattoos. 1 2 More about Celtic High Crosses and where to find the best in Ireland. 3 4 Return from Irish Celtic Cross to the Irish Symbols page.