La na Cruite: Harp Day at TSEAC

La na Cruite, or Harp Day, brings a two-hour celebration of Irish harping to the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre in the Naul on Saturday 17 October 2026. Master luthier Sean Smyth talks through harp craftsmanship and instrument building, while award-winning harpist Alannah Thornburgh performs and shares the folklore behind the tunes she plays. It is a fitting event for a venue named after a piper, in a part of Dublin with a strong traditional music thread running through its arts programming.

What to expect

A mixed afternoon of talk, performance and hands-on activity rather than a single concert. Smyth’s session covers how a harp is actually built, from timber selection to stringing, while Thornburgh’s performance pairs the music with the stories behind it, drawn from her own research into harp folklore. The event includes an interactive session where attendees can try playing a harp under guidance, which makes it accessible to newcomers as well as musicians, and suits families with older children as much as adult harp enthusiasts.

Getting there

The Naul sits in north-west Fingal, near the Meath border, with no direct rail or Dublin Bus route. The venue is best reached by car, with parking on site. Allow about 45 minutes from Dublin city centre, or 20 minutes from Balbriggan or Swords.

While you’re in The Naul

The Seamus Ennis Arts Centre carries most of the live music, theatre and workshop programme for this corner of north County Dublin, and Harp Day usually falls in the same October run as its Halloween-season storytelling and film dates. For more on the area, see Naul, or browse other things to do in Co. Dublin.

Good to know

• Saturday 17 October 2026, 2:00pm, at the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre, the Naul
• Includes a hands-on harp session for beginners
• Suitable for musicians and newcomers alike
• See the venue website for ticket price and booking