Killarney Whistles - My Full Review...
- Leyna Robinson-Stone
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Hi readers, welcome back to my blog!
Today I will be writing about Killarney Whistles, a very special instrument!
These beautiful whistles are produced in Ireland by Padraig and Tadhg Buckley, and have a really refined, authentic and high quality design.
Killarney whistles are quite special to me as I first bought a nickel Eb model in a music shop in Killarney, Ireland, and loved it straight away - I then took this whistle to the Gap of Dunloe and recorded a few tunes including 'Morrison's Jig' sitting alongside one of the lochs there. This video was one of the first of mine to be viewed by millions of people all over the world, and I am very glad to have been able to share the joy of this traditional instrument with so many people worldwide.
Killarney whistles come in a range of keys, and I recently also acquired the high D and A brass whistles which were sent to me by the maker, and I absolutely love them!
I took the Killarney A whistle out into the woodland and played a traditional song called 'The South Wind'....
Appearance -
Killarney whistles have a simple yet beautifully finessed design and are finished with great attention to detail. They come in brass or nickel plated finishes with a black Delrin mouthpiece and tuneable head, and are inscribed with the Killarney Whistles logo.
I love both of the finishes - the nickel has a lovely contrast between the brass head and the silver body, and the full brass models have a beautiful golden lustre when they are brand new (the brass will of course tarnish over time, but you can also polish them to bring back the shine). I will talk about the tonal qualities of both metal finishes later in the post!
The body of these whistles is very lightweight, with the headpiece being comparatively heavier than some other whistles, so the balance is more top-heavy especially on the higher key models. This balance point is a bit different if you've been used to playing something with a lighter head, however I personally find it really comfortable to play.
Sound and tone -
Killarney whistles have a very pure and traditional sound - I feel it is exactly the sound that you would imagine when you think of authentic and traditional tin whistle music. It is bright, lively, and very responsive with crisp ornamentations, and allows you to play very nimbly, so it is perfect for fast jigs. It can also be dynamic, delicate and expressive for slower tunes as well. Because these whistles have such a pure sound, they are also very good for recording purposes because you won't get harsh overtones, and the sound will sit very nicely in its own space alongside other instruments in a recording.
I have played both the brass and the nickel plated models, and each have their own tonal qualities - the brass being warmer and a little more mellow and the nickel having a slightly brighter sound.
The Killarney A whistle features in my music video 'The Skye Boat Song'....
Playability -
If I was going to recommend buying one tin whistle that would suit you all the way from beginner to advanced level and always give you a pleasant and classic Irish whistle sound with lovely playability then I would probably recommend the Killarney high D!
The playability of the Killarney whistles is amazing, and gives a great ease of playing across both octaves. There is no point at which you feel you have to push excessively hard with your breath in order to reach the high notes - it simply glides very smoothly from the low octave all the way to the top notes in the higher octave.
These whistles are better played more delicately and with a lighter air pressure than something like a Burke whistle for example, and with the Killarney whistle you can really bend the notes with only subtle change in your air pressure, so it can create a wonderfully swirly and expressive sound.
Here is the traditional 'Rocky Road to Dublin' played on the Killarney high D whistle...
The Killarney A whistle is one of my favourite whistles to play, and is a perfect whistle if you are looking to transition into playing lower whistles as the playability is very smooth and easy, and the sound is very pure. I recently played the Killarney A whistle in the fast chorus section of my music video ''Over the Hills and Far Away' ...
You can find Killarney whistles on their official website here - https://killarneywhistle.com
I hope you've enjoyed reading, and stay tuned as I will have more whistle reviews and insights into my music coming soon!
Leyna ✨
