Gráinne Yeats
composer
- April 14, 1925
- April 18, 2013
- 88 years
About Gráinne Yeats
Gráinne Yeats, 88, Irish harpist and singer.
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Full Biography
|Gráinne Yeats (14 April 1925 – 18 April 2013) was an Irish harpist and singer, and also a historian of the Irish harp.
Biography
Yeat was born as Gráinne Ní hEigeartaigh in Dublin and raised bilingually in Irish and English. As well as obtaining a degree in history from Trinity College Dublin, she studied piano, voice and harp at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin and also traditional songs and music from the Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) areas of Ireland.
She wrote and researched the history and music of the Cláirseach (wire-strung harp), and she was one of the first professional musicians to revive and record this ancient traditional instrument.
She wrote entries about Turlough O'Carolan and other Irish harpers in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
Gráinne Yeats was married to Michael Yeats, a Fianna Fáil politician and son of the poet W. B. Yeats. They had three daughters and a son, Caitriona, Siobhán, Síle, and Pádraig.
She died on 18 April 2013 aged 88.
Discs
- The Belfast Harp Festival 1792–1992 Féile Cruitirí Bhéal Feirste: Gael-Linn CEFCD 156 (double-CD, 1992).
Books and publications
- "Some Thoughts on Irish Harp Music", in Ceol vol. IV, no. 2 (December 1973), p. 37–50.
- Féile na gCruitirí Béal Feirste 1792 / The Belfast Harpers Festival 1792 (Dublin: Gael-Linn, 1980).
- "The Rediscovery of Carolan", in Integrating Tradition: The Achievement of Seán O Riada; ed. Bernard Harris & Grattan Freyer (Ballina: Irish Humanities Center & Keohanes & Chester Springs PA: Dufour Editions, 1981), p. 78–94.
- "Lost Chords", Ceol vol. VII, no. 1–2 (December 1984), p. 15–19.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%A1inne_Yeats
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 30, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Gráinne Yeats's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the birth name of Gráinne Yeats?
- A.Gráinne Yeats-Butler
- B.Gráinne O'Carolan
- C.Gráinne Ní hEigeartaighcorrect
- D.Gráinne Ní Fhiann
Gráinne Yeats was born under the name Gráinne Ní hEigeartaigh in Dublin.
Source: Biography section
2.In which city was Gráinne Yeats born?
- A.Dublincorrect
- B.Belfast
- C.Cork
- D.Ballina
Gráinne Yeats was born in Dublin on 14 April 1925.
Source: Biography section
3.Which university did Gráinne Yeats attend to obtain a degree in history?
- A.Royal Irish Academy
- B.Trinity College Dublincorrect
- C.University College Dublin
- D.National University of Ireland
Gráinne Yeats obtained a degree in history from Trinity College Dublin.
Source: Biography section
4.At which institution did Gráinne Yeats study piano, voice, and harp?
- A.The Belfast Conservatory
- B.Irish Institute of Musicology
- C.Royal Irish Academy of Musiccorrect
- D.Dublin School of Performing Arts
Gráinne Yeats studied piano, voice, and harp at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.
Source: Biography section
5.Which ancient traditional instrument was Gráinne Yeats one of the first to revive and record?
- A.The Cláirseachcorrect
- B.The Fiddle
- C.The Uilleann pipes
- D.The Bodhrán
Gráinne Yeats was one of the first professional musicians to revive and record the wire-strung harp, known as the Cláirseach.
Source: Biography section
6.Gráinne Yeats contributed entries about which composer to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians?
- A.Gael-Linn
- B.Seán O Riada
- C.W. B. Yeats
- D.Turlough O'Carolancorrect
Gráinne Yeats wrote entries about Turlough O'Carolan and other Irish harpers for the New Grove Dictionary.
Source: Biography section
7.Who was the husband of Gráinne Yeats?
- A.Michael Yeatscorrect
- B.Grattan Freyer
- C.Seán O Riada
- D.Bernard Harris
Gráinne Yeats was married to Michael Yeats, a Fianna Fáil politician.
Source: Biography section
8.How many children did Gráinne Yeats and Michael Yeats have together?
- A.Fourcorrect
- B.Five
- C.Three
- D.Two
Gráinne Yeats and Michael Yeats had three daughters and one son, totaling four children.
Source: Biography section
9.What is the name of one of the daughters of Gráinne Yeats mentioned in the biography?
- A.Aoife
- B.Siobháncorrect
- C.Niamh
- D.Eimear
The children of Gráinne Yeats are named Caitriona, Siobhán, Síle, and Pádraig.
Source: Biography section
10.What was the date of death for Gráinne Yeats?
- A.14 April 2013
- B.14 April 2012
- C.18 April 2013correct
- D.18 April 2012
Gráinne Yeats passed away on 18 April 2013 at the age of 88.
Source: Biography section
11.Which publication featured the article 'Some Thoughts on Irish Harp Music' by Gráinne Yeats?
- A.The Irish Times
- B.New Grove Dictionary
- C.Ceolcorrect
- D.Gael-Linn Quarterly
Gráinne Yeats published 'Some Thoughts on Irish Harp Music' in the journal Ceol in December 1973.
Source: Books and publications section
12.In what year was the book 'Féile na gCruitirí Béal Feirste 1792' published?
- A.1984
- B.1973
- C.1981
- D.1980correct
Gráinne Yeats published 'Féile na gCruitirí Béal Feirste 1792 / The Belfast Harpers Festival 1792' in 1980.
Source: Books and publications section
13.What was the professional relationship between Michael Yeats and the poet W. B. Yeats?
- A.Michael Yeats was the brother of W. B. Yeats.
- B.Michael Yeats was the nephew of W. B. Yeats.
- C.Michael Yeats was the son of W. B. Yeats.correct
- D.Michael Yeats was the grandson of W. B. Yeats.
Michael Yeats, husband of Gráinne Yeats, was the son of the poet W. B. Yeats.
Source: Biography section
14.Which languages was Gráinne Yeats raised in?
- A.English and Latin
- B.English and Gaelic only
- C.Irish and French
- D.Irish and Englishcorrect
Gráinne Yeats was raised bilingually in Irish and English.
Source: Biography section
15.Which of the following is a title of a work written by Gráinne Yeats?
- A.The Gaeltacht Harp
- B.Lost Chordscorrect
- C.Dublin Melodies
- D.Ancient Harpers
Gráinne Yeats wrote the article titled 'Lost Chords', published in Ceol in 1984.
Source: Books and publications section
16.In what specific area of Ireland did Gráinne Yeats study traditional songs and music?
- A.The Ulster region
- B.The Leinster province
- C.The Gaeltachtcorrect
- D.The Pale
Gráinne Yeats studied traditional songs and music from the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas of Ireland.
Source: Biography section
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