The Ballinderry Fragments

Said to have been from the Crannog of Ballinderry near Moate,
County West Meath

fragment from the Ballinderry clarsach

Front image of one of the Ballinderry Fragments from Robert Bruce Armstrong Vol. 1

Feature Detail
Date Probably 16th century
String Count 36
Height Impossible to know for certain; a reasonable estimate would be in the region of 105 to 110 cm (41–43 inches)
Soundbox Unknown, but likely to have been hollowed out from a single block and quite wide, perhaps 40 cm or more (16 or more inches)
Current Location The National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin

For Robert Bruce Armstrong’s detailed description see The Irish and Highland Harps pages 63 through 64. Armstrong gives a detailed description and measurements for these harp mountings. For a more thorough study of these fittings and their background, along with some detailed illustrations, see The Ballinderry Harp — A Reassessment.

fragment from the Ballinderry clairseach

Side image of the Ballinderry Fragments from Robert Bruce Armstrong Vol. 1