It is over 1000 years since the Celtic harp (clarsach) was first played in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland. Immortalised nowadays as the Guinness Icon and on the coinage of Ireland, the clarsach was traditionally a prestigious instrument in society and was performed for clan chiefs and in the courts of Kings and Queens.
Popularity waned in the late 16th Century as interest from wealthy patrons fell and the harper became an itinerant minstrel, the most famous example of which was Ireland's Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). By the first half of the 19th Century, however, even this profession was disappearing.
It was not until the 1970's that the clarsach enjoyed its revival and its resurgence now continues to grow worldwide.
The clarsach evolved from folk tradition and gave rise to the pedal harp which is used in orchestras.
Katie plays a Pilgrim harp with 34 strings and sings and plays a wide variety of music, from pop to jazz and from traditional Scottish melodies to classical pieces.
