Egan overcame the restrictions of the traditional Irish harp by adding the dital tuning mechanism and pliable catgut strings of the European pedal harps, calling his creation “portables”. Of the c.2000 harps Egan made, only 37 are known to exist. Although they are not considered as priceless as a Stradivarius violin, for instance, they are considered classic instruments, and have been priced as high as US$24,000
Reports vary. In Irish schools, 25% seems to be taught, but some indicate lower, partially due to immigration.
However: Northern Ireland appears to be particularly high. In some regions of Northwestern Ireland, R1b frequencies have also been shown at percentages of over 98.
