The Organ at Down Cathedral, County Down

The organ at Down Cathedral was built by Samuel Green and was brought there in 1802, having been donated by George III. The instrument was rebuilt or enlarged on three occasions in the 19th century, in 1819 by Hull of Dublin and in 1874 and 1896 by Telford of Dublin.

In 1914 the organ was extensively rebuilt by Harrison and Harrison under the supervision of the organist of the day, A.J. Coulter - a task carried out with much careful refinement, and in 1966 a further rebuild was completed by the same firm, the result of which brought the following appreciation by Cecil Clutton, C.B.E. - "If the 1914 rebuild was a model, that of 1966 is a triumph of good taste ... achieved without any alteration to the original pipework of Samuel Green ... and for this we have to thank Mr. W.R. Harrison (organist of the Cathedral), Lord Dunleath as architect of this highly ingenious tonal scheme and Harrison and Harrison for its completely artistic execution.

The Organ on Guild Music

• GMCD 7122 Organ Music from the Island of Ireland

Page revised 03.09.2000