Ireland is the only country in the world to have a musical instrument as its national symbol. As a testament to the country’s history of music, Ireland uses the harp as its national emblem. It is found on the state coat of arms and on the euro coins minted in Ireland.
The Harp was first recorded as the arms of Ireland in medieval times. The model for the current standard representation of the heraldic Harp is the 14th century harp now preserved in the Museum of Trinity College Dublin, popularly known as the Brian Boru or Brian Borumha Harp.
