The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American fl
Several high D tin whistles from left to right: Clarke Sweetone; Shaw (customised); O'Brien; Reyburn; Generation (customised); Copeland; Overton
Modern replica of a traditional Clarke tin whistle
Contemporary tin whistles in several keys
Young man demonstrating the use of a tin whistle
The Irish flute is a conical-bore, simple-system, wooden flute of the type favoured by classical flautists of the early 19th century, or to a flute of modern manufacture derived from this design. The
Tin whistle
…1900, they were also marketed as "Clarke London Flageolets" or "Clarke Flageolets". The whistle's fingering system is similar to that of the six-hole, "simple system Irish flutes" ("simple" in comparison to Boehm system flutes). The six-hole, diatonic system is also used on baroque flutes, and was of course well-known before…
Matt Molloy playing flute in Westport in March 2000
Charles Nicholson with flute, 1834 portrait
Michael McGoldrick in Lorient in 2013.