Turlough Carolan (Irish name Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin, 1670 – 25 March 1738) was a blind, itinerant early Irish harper, composer and singer whose great fame is due to his gift for melodic composition. He was the last great Irish harper-composer and is considered by many to be Ireland's national composer. Harpers in the old Irish tradition were still living as late as 1792, as ten, including Arthur O'Neill, Patrick Quin and Denis O'Hampsey, ...
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Turlough Carolan (Irish name Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin, 1670 – 25 March 1738) was a blind, itinerant early Irish harper, composer and singer whose great fame is due to his gift for melodic composition. He was the last great Irish harper-composer and is considered by many to be Ireland's national composer. Harpers in the old Irish tradition were still living as late as 1792, as ten, including Arthur O'Neill, Patrick Quin and Denis O'Hampsey, showed up at the Belfast Harp Festival, but there is no proof of any of these being composers. Some of Carolan's own compositions show influence from the style of continental classical music, whereas others such as Carolan's Farewell to Music reflect a much older style of "Gaelic Harping".
O'Carolan was born in 1670 near Nobber, County Meath, but in 1684 he moved with his family, to Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, where his father took a job with the MacDermottRoe family of Alderford House. Mrs. MacDermottRoe gave him an education, and he...
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