HollyTree Harps

It takes skilled woodworking, a commitment to tradition and an eye for beauty to make an Irish Harp. Not only that, for Sean Smyth it took a trip to the UK to learn the traditional way of making an Irish harp. But he did, and now he is one of just a dozen Irish harp makers in Ireland.

An award-winning cabinet maker and teacher, he just decided he wanted to use his talents to make some of the most beautiful looking and sounding instruments there are. Now he is a go-to artist and harpists seek out for his skills.

“They are beautiful instruments,” he says. “But they also have to be strong. There is a huge amount of tension on the strings, especially the wire strings in the bass, so I ply them together with strong but thin pieces of wood.”

Smyth says that while the carved soundboxes look complicated they are actually easier to make than those made from a single block of wood. and the type of wood used makes all the difference in the world. So. he sources his…from Maple and Cherry to the Spruce he sources from Switzerland, for its strength and its beauty. And there is no staining…ever. He just polishes, oils and waxes them for their natural beauty

He does all of this from his workshop in the back of Hollytree Cottage which sits in the hills above the village of Naul, known for its musicians and its musician gatherings.

It all began when a harpist and friend by the name of Fiona Gryson asked him to make her a harp. He said no, at first….and then came around to giving it a try and loves the result.

His workshop is a maze of tools, patterns, equipment and harp parts. They all magically come together each made to order. And each going through an estimated 50 tunings once they are done, before they settle and are ready to be played.

Harp teacher and harpist Fiona Gryson is one of his biggest fans, and he is one of her’s. you can find her recordings at: https://fiona-gryson.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral.

You can find Hollytree harps at : seansmythdublin@gmail.com