In March 1969, one of the most unusual and important items in the Old Library of Trinity College Dublin vanished. Known as the Brian Boru Harp, the celebrated harp of Trinity College is believed to date back to the 15th century. The story of its taking grabbed huge media attention both in Ireland and abroad, and was caught up in the politics of the day. The harp was presented to Trinity College Dublin by William Conyngham in the late 18th century, and was restrung in the British Museum in 1962. This particular instrument is perhaps most famous for serving as the model for not only the insignia of the present Irish state, but also serving as the model for the Guinness trademark logo, which was registered in 1876.

The background to this amazing robbery is told in The Lost Revolution, Brian Hanley and Scott Millar’s study of the rise and demise of The Workers’ Party as a power in Irish political life. In that book, readers learn of Joseph Brady, a one-time member of the Irish Republican Army. Brady, an ex-British soldier, was recruited into the republican movement in 1967, joining the IRA and becoming a training officer to the Dublin Brigade. In the book it is noted that

During early 1969 Brady raised the idea of stealing the Book of Kells from Trinity College and holding it for ransom, but found no support. On 24 March he broke into the College himself and, unable to gain access to the Book of Kells, stole the Brian Boru Harp instead. A few weeks later he contacted the college and demanded £20,000.

On 26 March 1969, the Irish Press broke the story to their readership, outlying the concerns of T.C.D authorities with regards to the handling of the object:

The 600 to 700 year old Brian Boru harp, the oldest and most elaborately carved Irish harp in existence, has been stolen from the library of Trinity College. Dublin. It was discovered that the harp was missing yesterday morning. The thief broke in through a window by forcing the catch, and he forced open the case in which the harp was stored. Yesterday, College authorities appealed to the person who has the harp to handle it with extreme care as it is very fragile. They also asked that it be returned through whatever means would be safe in the handling of the 600-year-old harp. “It is not much use to anyone,” he said. “It is an antique, easily recognisable, and can barely be handled. Therefore,its sale is hardly likely. Maybe some person has it for a responsible cause, but we would ask them to please, please handle it carefully.”

International coverage was plentiful, and in some cases highly colourful versions of the truth were told. The Milwaukee Journal proclaimed the harp to be an astonishing 1,300 years old for example.

Henry Giltrap, the Secretary of Trinity College Dublin, began to receive calls in the aftermath of the robbery, requesting a sum of money in return for its safe exchange. The issue caused huge embarrassment for the authorities at Trinity College Dublin, with many questioning how a library which served as home to so many priceless works could be broken into with such relative ease.

When the harp was ultimately recovered, on 17 April, there was a suitably dramatic conclusion to the story. Indeed, as one journalist noted at the time, it was recovered “amid a series of episodes which could have come straight from the pages of a James Bond novel.” A threat was made via a ransom note that unless money was left in a dustbin at Bull Wall at 1 a.m, the instrument would be destroyed. Eleven Garda cars were stationed at a discreet distance from this bin, and when a man was seen to approach it, a decision was made to move in. The Irish Independent reported that:

As they did so a car which had been parked nearby accelerated from the scene and a chase followed. The driver was captured shortly afterwards. The other man, who is believed to be British, then drew a gun but threw it away as he made his escape. The harp which had been taken to Pearse Street Garda station was handed over by Inspector O’Brien to Mr. G. H. Giltrap, Secretary, T.C.D. “I am delighted that it has been recovered. This represents a great deal of hard work on the part of the detectives and Gardai,” said Mr. Giltrap.

In May 1970, R. Tynan, a young man from Drimnagh, pleaded guilty to receiving the harp knowing it was stolen. He was given a suspended sentence of two-years imprisonment for his role in the crime. During his court case, the story of the actual recovery of the harp was told. Gardaí noted that Tynan had co-operated with Gardaí and brought them to a “sand pit about two miles from Blessington. There, with Mr. Giltrap standing beside him, he unearthed a shovel and went to an overhanging ledge nearby and started digging until he uncovered something wrapped in black plastic material. It turned out to be the missing harp.”

What became of Joseph Brady? The Lost Revolution tells us that there was suspicion within the movement that he was a provocateur, indeed Brady was so distrusted that he was picked up at gunpoint by members of the IRA but managed to escape, dispute being shot twice. During his case, it was reported in the Irish Press that he had been in contact with Gardaí “for some years prior to the present case”, and it was noted that he had passed on information. Brady’s solicitor attempted to make the case in court that his life would be in danger in prison, and that he should be given a suspended sentence “which would allow him to go abroad as he would not be safe in this country and would always be branded as an informer.” He was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

—-

The Lost Revolution is available to purchase, with free delivery worldwide, from Kennys.ie