Irish Harp Stamps

The Celtic harp (or clárseach in Irish) is the official emblem of Ireland. It is a rare musical instrument that serves as a symbol of a country. As such, the instrument appears on all types of official items including the presidential seal, passports, currency, and of course, postage stamps. The Celtic harp is also in use as a symbol for companies such as the airline Ryanair, and most famously, for Guinness beer. Instruments as national symbols are rare, but not completely uncommon. Other examples include the saùng-gauk of Myanmar and the kundu drum of Papau New Guinea.

The Instrument

The Irish harp is similar in form to Scottish examples. The typical harp is a small, portable instrument that can be easily carried. It has a distinct shape with a large hollow soundbox carved from a solid block of wood. Distinctively, the front pillar has a deep outward curve. Players use their fingernails to pluck the brass strings of the harp.

In this form, the Celtic harp has been in Ireland since at least the eleventh century. It is said that Brian Boru (d. 1014), the last High King of Ireland, was an accomplished player of the instrument. While that may be a myth, for hundreds of years the instrument was the highest status instrument in both Scotland and Ireland. Harpers were employed by chieftains to accompany epic poetry recitations and sing psalms. These musicians had an elevated status and special privileges.

There are a few medieval instruments that survive, including the extraordinary “Brian Boru” harp at the Library of Trinity College. The instrument was made around 1400 and therefore could never have belonged to Brian Boru (though that was long the traditional mythology). The instrument has exquisite carvings on the neck and pillar. This harp is the model for the national symbol.

Symbolic Meaning

In 1531, Henry VIII of England declared himself the King of Ireland. The status of the harp was so important that he made the instrument the emblem of his new realm. The instrument was on the Irish flag beginning in 1642. However, as the traditional Irish social order broke down under British rule, harpers were no longer able to make a living in courts. They became itinerant, traveling around the country, preserving traditional songs and ballads. The harp became a sign of Irish resistance to British rule and by the eighteenth century, there was a ban on the use of the instrument.

By the end of the eighteenth century, there were only a few harpers in the country. In 1792, there was a music festival in Belfast where many of them gathered and performed. Edward Bunting, a classically trained musician took an interest in the instrument. He began transcribing the songs of the harpers, as well as documenting the stories and terminology of the musicians. Others took interest and a revival in the instrument and traditional music of Ireland began.

A New Instrument

Around 1820, the instrument maker John Egan created a new design, utilizing the traditional size and shape of the Celtic harp, but with an internal mechanism that allowed for changing keys. This made the harp more useful to play with other instruments. The very first example of Egan’s harp model is at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

In the nineteenth century, the movement to preserve traditional Irish music paralleled the growing movement for Irish independence. The harp became a symbol of this resistance.

The Harp on British Stamps

Because of the rich history and symbolic meaning of the Celtic harp in Ireland, it appears on many stamps, but with different connotations. For instance, the Irish harp appears on the coat-of-arms of many British monarchs, so we can see the harp representing Ireland on British stamps. The 1939 stamp below features King George VI of the United Kingdom and his coat-of-arms. The center shield features a quartered shield. In the first and fourth quadrants are three running lions, both representing the realm of England. In the upper right quadrant is a lion rampant, which here represents Scotland. The last quadrant shows a Celtic harp, which expresses his claim to rule over Ireland.

Ireland finally became a country independent from the United Kingdom in 1922, but British monarchs continued to lay claim to the country until 1949. Of course, Northern Ireland is still a province of the UK with Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch. Occasionally, the harp appears representing Northern Ireland as a part of the UK.

Symbol of the Province of Leinster

The harp was to remain a symbol of the country even after it gained independence in 1922. While it is the national symbol, the Celtic harp is also a symbol for one of Ireland’s four provinces: Leinster. While Irish provinces are not really administrative states, the designations do represent the various regions of the country. So the harp as a symbol of Leinster almost always accompanies the symbols of the other three provinces.

There is even a flag known as the “Four Provinces” flag that sometimes substitutes for the national flag. There are many Irish stamps that show these four symbols. The two below are definitive stamps from 1923, a year after a free Ireland began making their own stamps.

The four symbols for the Irish provinces also appear in different guises. These devices pretty much always appear together, but not always on a single coat-of-arms or flag. Notice the stamp below where each symbol is on a separate shield. Notice also the additional harp at the very top – representing the entire country. Thus, the harp is both a symbol for the Province of Leinster and for the entire country of Ireland. This stamp from 1949 celebrates international recognition of the country as Independent.

Irish Constitution

Below is another design. The stamp on the left celebrates Constitution Day for 1937. That year, a new constitution was adopted replacing one from 1922. Notice the symbols of the four counties on a stand holding a written document, presumably the constitution. Notice that there is a larger harp on the floor to the left, again representing Ireland in its entirety. While I am not for certain, I believe the seated woman is Erin, the female personification of Ireland (Eire). The stamp on the right has the same design, but was made in 1958.

National Symbol of an Independent Ireland

Of course, the most common appearance of the harp is simply as a national symbol of the Independent country of Ireland. The following pair were issued in 1953 for the An Tostal Festival (Ireland at Home).

Other examples include the below stamps that celebrate the centennial of the Fenian uprising in 1967.

The 50th anniversary of the constitution in 1987 once again saw a stamp with the Irish harp.

Diplomacy

As a national symbol, the harp appears on stamps that carry diplomatic meanings with other countries. The below pair of stamps are from 1939. They celebrate the 150th anniversary of the United States Constitution with the American eagle and a bust of George Washington. Notice the Celtic harp on the right. The iconography suggests friendship between the United States and Ireland. Obviously, the smaller country of Ireland was looking to the United States as another former British colony, as well as one that was home to millions of Irish-Americans. 1939 marks a tumultuous year in Europe with the outbreak of World War II. It makes sense the smaller Ireland was looking to the United States as an ally.

The next stamp comes from 1998. In this case, the Irish harp appears against the backdrop of the flag of the European Union. Once, again this is a stamp with a diplomatic message, celebrating Ireland’s membership in this powerful economic block.

The Music

Of course, while the harp appears on so many stamps with political messages, it also has cultural significance. Its music is a source of pride and identity to Irish people. In 2014, the harp appeared on a stamp by itself, a reminder of its importance as an instrument within Irish culture.

And perhaps my favorite, there is even a stamp celebrating the traditional craft of harp building. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!