Introduction
An exhibition to celebrate the Edward Bunting Collection, a major collection of Irish music and song manuscripts, notebooks, printed works, correspondence and more.
The collection is the work of the Irish music collector and musician Edward Bunting (1773-1843) and was bequeathed to Queen's University Belfast by Charlotte Milligan Fox (1864-1916) in 1917.
The manuscripts first arose from Bunting’s engagement as transcriber at the Belfast Harp Festival of 1792. Bunting was enchanted by the ancient music of the harpers and continued to collect and arrange Irish folk music throughout his life. He published 3 volumes of airs in 1797, 1809 and 1840 respectively.
However, Bunting only published about a quarter of the music he collected and often altered the original arrangements and melodies when publishing. He also never published the Irish song texts collected.
The collection is a treasure trove of information about Irish traditional music and song, particularly harp music, in the late 17th and early 18th century.
MS 4/29/159 Hempsons harp, Owen O Niels Lamentation, Carolans Composition
MS 4/29, Manuscript book of Irish airs
MS 4/29/77 - 78 Two pages from Bunting's earliest musical notebook
MS 4/29/9-10 Opening pages of Bunting's earliest notebook MS 4/49
MS 4/29/168 Molly George
MS 4/35/16a Unsigned memorandum from J. McDonnell, referring to construction of Fanning's harp, and other harpers' instruments
MS 4/35, A folio of letters, envelopes, plates and other paraphernalia collected by Edward Bunting
MS 4/35/45 Loose plate, title page of Bunting's 1840 publication 'The Ancient Music of Ireland'
MS 4/35/41 Loose plate, Denis Hemspon, the harper of Magilligan, Co. Derry
MS 4/35/43 Loose plate, the harper Arthur O'Neill
MS 4/35/46a Front of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/46b Back of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/16a Unsigned memorandum from J. McDonnell, referring to construction of Fanning's harp, and other harpers' instruments
MS 4/35, A folio of letters, envelopes, plates and other paraphernalia collected by Edward Bunting
MS 4/35/45 Loose plate, title page of Bunting's 1840 publication 'The Ancient Music of Ireland'
MS 4/35/41 Loose plate, Denis Hemspon, the harper of Magilligan, Co. Derry
MS 4/35/43 Loose plate, the harper Arthur O'Neill
MS 4/35/46a Front of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/46b Back of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/16a Unsigned memorandum from J. McDonnell, referring to construction of Fanning's harp, and other harpers' instruments
MS 4/35, A folio of letters, envelopes, plates and other paraphernalia collected by Edward Bunting
MS 4/35/45 Loose plate, title page of Bunting's 1840 publication 'The Ancient Music of Ireland'
MS 4/35/41 Loose plate, Denis Hemspon, the harper of Magilligan, Co. Derry
MS 4/35/43 Loose plate, the harper Arthur O'Neill
MS 4/35/46a Front of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/46b Back of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/16a Unsigned memorandum from J. McDonnell, referring to construction of Fanning's harp, and other harpers' instruments
MS 4/35, A folio of letters, envelopes, plates and other paraphernalia collected by Edward Bunting
MS 4/35/45 Loose plate, title page of Bunting's 1840 publication 'The Ancient Music of Ireland'
MS 4/35/41 Loose plate, Denis Hemspon, the harper of Magilligan, Co. Derry
MS 4/35/43 Loose plate, the harper Arthur O'Neill
MS 4/35/46a Front of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/35/46b Back of envelope from the Edward Bunting Collection correspondence
MS 4/26/1b, A Neoinín Gléigeal (The Shining Daisy)
MS 4/26/44a, Inghion Ui Mhórdha in Gaelic script
Portrait of Edward Bunting
Credits
Exhibition text and design by Louisa Costelloe, Assistant Librarian, Special Collections.
Digitisation and transcription of Patrick Lynch and Arthur O'Neill journals by Bronagh McCrudden.