Early Life

The Chieftains at site of Carolan's birthplace

The Chieftains first came to the Harp Festival at Nobber in 1990. Professor George Eogan, a native of Nobber and professor of archaeology at UCD, brought the musicians to the site of Carolan's birthplace at Spiddal just outside nobber village.

Courtesy of the Nobber Harp Festival Committee

The Chieftains at site of Carolan's birthplace
Courtesy of the Nobber Harp Festival Committee

The Chieftains at site of Carolan's birthplace

The Chieftains first came to the Harp Festival at Nobber in 1990. Professor George Eogan, a native of Nobber and professor of archaeology at UCD, brought the musicians to the site of Carolan's birthplace at Spiddal just outside nobber village.

Courtesy of the Nobber Harp Festival Committee

Enlarge image

O'Carolan was born near Nobber in Co Meath in 1670. His father, John Carolan, was a blacksmith and small farmer.

O'Carolan went to a school run by the Cruise family. The Cruises were originally an Anglo-Norman family. They were patrons of Irish poetry, music and learning.

At school O'Carolan fell in love with Bridget Cruise. When he was older, he named some songs after her. They met many years later when O'Carolan was blind. He still knew her by the touch of her hand. He shouted out in Irish: "By the hand of my godfather, this is the hand of Bridget Cruise!"

Carolan's Harp, Clonalis House, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
Courtesy of Fáilte Ireland photographic section

When O'Carolan was about fourteen, his family moved to north Roscommon. Two old Gaelic families became his patrons, the MacDermottroes and the O'Connors.

O'Carolan had smallpox when he was eighteen. He became blind because of this illness. It was only then that O'Carolan began to play the harp.

He spent three years training as a harpist. His patron Máire MacDermottroe gave him a horse, a guide and some money. This meant that he could start his career as a travelling harpist. He set out on the road shortly after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.