Gráinne Hambly is an internationally known

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

traditional

harper Harper may refer to: Names * Harper (name), a surname and given name Places ;in Canada * Harper Islands, Nunavut *Harper, Prince Edward Island ;In the United States *Harper, former name of Costa Mesa, California in Orange County * Harper, Il ...

, teacher and musician.

Life and education

Hambly was born to Michael Hambly and Mary Joyce in Knockrickard

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...

, Ireland in 1975. She has 2 sisters who are also musicians. She learned traditional Irish music on the tin whistle as a child and then learned the concertina and harp. Hambly won the All-Ireland senior competition in

Clonmel Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Dro ...

in 1994 on the

concertina A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It consists of expanding and contracting bellows, with buttons (or keys) usually on both ends, unlike accordion buttons, which are on the front. The ...

. She also won the Harp Festivals competitions at

Keadue Keadue, officially Keadew (), is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is on the R284 and R285 regional roads close to the borders of County Leitrim and County Sligo. Keadue is the burial place of the great Irish harper, Turlough O'Car ...

in 1994 and

Granard Granard () is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland, and has a traceable history going back to AD 236. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 nationa ...

in 1995 and the All-Ireland senior harp competition in 1994. She was also a member of the National Folk Orchestra and toured with the Belfast Harp Orchestra founded by

Janet Harbison Janet Harbison (born 1955) is an Irish harper, composer, teacher and orchestra director. Early life and education Born in Dublin in 1955, Harbison came to early prominence with the piano and the Irish harp. By 1981, she had won every nation ...

. She graduated initially with a bachelor's degree and then with a master's degree in Music from

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

in 1999. She then completed a graduate diploma in Education (Music) from the

University of Limerick The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...

. She is a teacher of traditional Irish music and performs in concerts and festivals internationally as well as having had a number of records produced.

Works

* Between the Showers * Golden Lights and Green Shadows * The Thorn Tree * Music from Ireland and Scotland * Traditional Irish Music Arranged for Harp

References

External links

And Interview with harpersAchill harp festival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hambly, Gráinne 1975 births Living people Irish harpists Musicians from County Mayo