My First Blog Post

Hello Everyone

Welcome to my website! I've been working on this for the past few months and this is my very first blog post.

A lot has happened since I got my pedal harp in December 2024. I have had some great adventures. I just wanted to tell you about them and thank the many people I have met and who have helped me along the way since then.

Above all else, I have to thank my fantastic harp teacher, Richard Allen. Richard has been so supportive of me and has helped me achieve so much with my harp playing. All of my family love Richard - especially my puppy, Rua (that's him in the photo above). Last autumn, Richard brought over his own pedal harp for me to try and I was immediately in love with it. I got my own pedal harp on my 13th birthday - my best birthday present ever!

My music teacher, Miss McCanny has been very supportive of me too as have all the music teachers at my school.

At Christmas, my family and I were in Gweedore, County Donegal. While there, Moya Brennan from Clannad was playing a concert. Moya is a wonderful harpist and singer. It was a fantastic night. I was lucky to meet her afterwards along with Cormac de Barra. Cormac is a brilliant harpist too. Cormac's Grandmother and Great Aunt were also famous harpists and toured many years ago with Mary O'Hara - a very famous harpist and singer.

In January, a family friend, Dr Keith Munro launched his book about my grandad, Dr Tom McGinley. There was a special event in St Columb's Hall, Derry to mark the occasion. I played my new harp that night. The Mayor of Derry and Strabane was in the audience and she asked if I would play my harp at the Mayor's Ball later in the year - how exciting!

In February, I travelled to Dublin to the Royal Irish Academy of Music for the Harpissima event that was organised by Salvi and Lyon & Healy Harps. It was a brilliant event and I was lucky to have a masterclass with the famous Swiss classical harpist, Joel von Lerber. After the masterclass, Joel gave a performance and it was truly spectacular. His performance of The Moldau by Smetana was amazing.

In May, I played at the Donegal Food Festival which was held at Oakfield Park near Lifford. It was great fun and I was lucky to meet the famous chefs, Marco Pierre White and Rachel Allen. Rachel was really friendly and she chatted to me for a long time before she gave a cookery demonstration.

Shortly after, it was time for the Mayor's Ball in Derry. The Ball was held in the Everglades Hotel. There was a great buzz that night and I played to guests at the drinks reception.

This weekend I was back in Derry to play at a baby naming ceremony. The family were so kind and welcoming and the little baby was so cute! It was a pleasure to be part of their day and I really enjoyed it.

Well, that brings my harp adventures up-to-date. More soon...

Lots of love

Molly x