Sir, – The report on the Lonely Planet guide ("Six Irish attractions make Lonely Planet list of top sights", August 18th), lists "the 600-year-old harp owned by Brian Boru" as one of the visitor attractions at Trinity College Dublin.
Only last year, numerous events were held to mark the 1,000-year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf at which Brian Boru died, so something doesn’t add up here!
The Trinity College harp is the oldest surviving instrument of its type, but it is now understood to date from the 14th or 15th century and could therefore not have been owned by Brian Boru. Nevertheless the romance of legend remains strong in people’s minds.
Whatever its provenance, the harp is well worth visiting in the incomparable setting of the Long Room, not least on Culture Night on September 18th.
– Yours, etc,
ROY STANLEY
Music librarian,
Trinity College Dublin.