It never occurred me to make a “bucket list” until last year, but when I finally got down to making one, playing harp in an Irish pub was one of the top items on the list. I visited Northern Ireland last spring and I had one goal in mind: find a pub with live traditional music!
As it turns out, there are several pubs in Northern Ireland.
Thursday night, three days into our travels, my friends and I walked into the Springhill Bar in Portrush, County Antrim.
The interior was beautiful: hard wood floors, low beamed ceilings and a roaring fire, the mantel decorated with copper kettles and the like. Four musicians were just tuning up as we arrived: a bodhrán player, two fiddlers and a harpist. (I would love to say that we just ‘happened’ to stumble across a pub with live music, but I did employ the internet to find this locale and get directions.)
A brief description of the players: the bodhrán player, bald and clean-shaven, played with eyes closed and furrowed brow. Fiddler #1 had a medium-sized beard (grey) and wore a grave expression. And suspenders, if I am not imagining them. I think I saw him smile a little bit, just once. Fiddler #2 also played banjo. His beard was enormous and white, and although he, too, seldom departed from a sort of contented solemnity, I did receive several fatherly smiles and saw his eyes sparkle as I was seated next to him. Why was I seated next to him? you may ask. Allow me to recount how this came to pass.
I was basking in front of the fire with my half-pint of cider listening to the music (and being gently prodded to action by my comrades), when I decided that the most natural manner of starting a conversation with the musicians was to request a song.
“Do you take requests?” I asked. They nodded. “Do you know The King of the Fairies?”
“No,” responded the bodhrán man with a twinkle in his voice. “Do you want to play it for us?” and he offered me the drum.
“I don’t play the bodhrán, but I do play the harp,” I responded, pointing to the harp in what I hoped was a nonchalant manner.
“Well, do you want to play on that one?” the banjo player asked.
“Could I?” I stuttered, not quite believing him.
“Go ahead,” answered the harpist, and she moved over and whipped out her penny whistle. And so I sat down, hands shaking and heart thumping and began to play The Star of the County Down. (The Star of the County Down is one of my favorite Irish songs and it is also a piece that I can play well no matter how nervous I am.) 
And after a verse, the violins joined in, softly at first and then with increasing complexity and grace. I wanted to play on forever. But alas, one can only repeat a tune so many times.
And then the banjo man looked at me with gentle eyes and asked, “And what’ll you play for the encore?” I could have kissed him. So we had another tune and then I had to go back to my table, knees shaking but heart rejoicing. They did tell me that I was welcome to come back every week if I wanted. And though I can’t quite afford a jaunt over to Northern Ireland every week, I most certainly will go back someday.
Related post: How Not to Rent a Harp in Paris.
Stephanie Claussen is a professional harpist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She performs on her harp throughout Minnesota in various concerts, recitals, and collaborations with other musicians. Consider signing up for her e-mail newsletter to be notified directly of upcoming performances and announcements.