Akron Irish: Siobhan

By Lisa O’Rourke

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A few weeks ago, I answered the phone only to hear my usually bubbly friend sobbing into the receiver. Her mother died and she needed something for the funeral, something unique, something Irish. Her mother was a steely, music loving woman with a strong sense of her Irish ancestry. I needed to find help, since my musical abilities have yet to be discovered. Enter the old cliché that a friend in need is, and here you can sing it with me, a friend indeed. And those cliches are ridiculous until you are in need and that person seems to descend from heaven to help you out. Siobhan McCarthy was that friend, and for the second time in our brief acquaintance.

 

If you imagined an Irish female harpist, you could not improve on Siobhan McCarthy. She certainly looks the part. She has long copper hair, blue eyes, and a light dusting of freckles on her not-for-intense-sunlight Irish skin. She plays the harp and sings. She has talent and range on both of her instruments. She plays everything from classical and opera on through to folk music. Siobhan’s passion though is Irish music, and all things Irish for that matter. She grew up in a small neighborhood in Terre Haute, Indiana. A significant childhood memory for Siobhan was feeling different. She was the only redhead that she knew and since she didn’t look like anyone else, she felt obliged to find her own path in her other pursuits. So, when it was time to choose an instrument to learn as a child, the harp was it. It was a unique choice and one that she believed spoke to her identity. After all, the harp was pictured on the pre-Rising Irish flag, on old coins and is the national symbol of Ireland. Looking as stereotypically Irish as she does, she had to be drawn to the most Irish of instruments. But harps are not found in every music store. It was an expensive and esoteric instrument for a young girl to want to play. Siobhan was lucky to find a teacher who had one for her to practice on. As soon as she had the money, Siobhan bought her own Irish harp.