Lucy MacNeil

Cape Breton

In 1987, Lucy MacNeil, of the popular family group The Barra MacNeils from Sydney Mines, got a call from the Clan MacNeil organization in Iona, Cape Breton that got her started as a harp player. Using their harp, she went to a camp in Houlton, Maine where she studied with Elizabeth Hannon from Ireland. Not long after, she wrote a tune called “The Lone Harper” that was included on “Celtic Legacy”, a compilation album on the Narada Label. The tune was also included on the Barra's 1989 album "Rock In The Stream" and the harp was added to the instruments she already played with the group, fiddle and bodhran. The harp lent itself nicely to the Barra’s Christmas shows but it still stayed in the background for the remainder of the year collecting dust. After busy years with two young daughters, Lucy now has more time to indulge in the pleasure of playing the instrument and is very much looking forward to perform in the harp concert this year with one of her favourite harp players, Laoise Kelly from Ireland.