Maybe I should back slowly away from the whistle and listen to this lady instead? 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JqB5wlbjGc&feature=related
I didn’t know it was possible to laugh & whistle simultaneously. 
Thanks so much for posting this. I didn’t realize that the house concert had been uploaded.
It’s a joy to listen to Joanie even when she doesn’t have a flute or whistle in her hands.
Ah, from the lips of Joanie herself (C&F interview):
If you practice just 15 minutes a day, the improvement in a year will mystify you. Another thing that I’ve learned is that you’re never too old to start! If you can only play 1 tune, you’ll get tremendous satisfaction out of it and that’s what it’s all about!
Thank you, Joanie! 
Wonderful. Thanks! To answer the joking question taken seriously,
one can play beautifully even if one isn’t the best, not even close.
That’s point enough. And it takes lots of work, too. The music you and i play would not have been played
on those occasions if we hadn’t played it, and the world is better for it.
That’s a great clip. Can anyone identify the whistle she’s playing? I’m stumped.
She appears to be playing the same whistle in the clip which is filmed a bit closer.
She’s a treasure. I don’t know. Looks a bit like my blackwood O’Brien. An Abell, maybe? Not sure that it really matters.
It’s a two piece whistle, so that rules out O’Brien and the mouthpiece looks too long for an O’Brien as well. The black (appears non-metal) mouthpiece made me rule out the Abell. Also, the metal ring at the bottom of the whistle appears to thick to be an Abell.
I did try to identify it myself before I posed the question. I asked because I’m stumped.
prob an o’riordan
…tis an O’Riordan.
and great clips, thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting that. I was actually at that concert and I’m glad to have a chance to see it again.
Thanks indeed; that was wonderful - an inspiration to continue, not to back off! Anyway, appears to be an O’Riordan, Traveler, I believe with anodized aluminum body and delrin or delrin-like headjoint, nickel ferrules. That whistle sounded good didn’t it, 
Philo
That whistle sounds amazing. Thanks to everyone who helped with the ID.
Ah! I see! The player had nothing to do with it…
No one said nor even implied that. We can admire both the whistle and the player and doing one without the other doesn’t imply a lack of appreciation for either. Joanie Madden’s ability were never in question. She’s phenomenal. I wanted to know who made the whistle because, for me, the craft of whistle-making is an art every bit as much as someone who plays well so get yer nose out of the air before birds start flying into it.
Joanie plays a well worn O’Riordan Traveler and that is well know. There’s really no mystery to it at all. She likes very open, free-blowing whistles and that O’Riordan is as free blowing as any whistle I’ve examined. It’s a fine piece of work. But Joanie sounds like Joanie on just about any whistle. She’s played my self-made whistles and she sounds like, well, herself. As a whistle maker, I find that that remarkable. She is just a terrific player.
Mockingbird, you should sign-up for a class with Joanie. Augusta Irish Week is not far off. She shares all her secrets, which really aren’t secrets. She’s a terrific teacher and a lot of fun to be with. Oh, the stories!!!
Feadoggie
Wow! Most excellent!
Mockingbird, you should sign-up for a class with Joanie. Augusta Irish Week is not far off. She shares all her secrets, which really aren’t secrets. She’s a terrific teacher and a lot of fun to be with. Oh, the stories!!!
Oh, that would be lovely. {{{Sigh.}}} Don’t think I can pull it off this year, but I googled and my oh my, it looks fun.
Remember, she’s up in East Durham, NY as well July 10 -16, as well as Mary Bergin and others.
Philo
Joanie’s also hosting the Augusta Irish/Celtic week in Elkins, WV from 24 to 29 July (I’m going!).
[EDIT] Oops - just saw feadoggie’s post…
Thank you so very much. I needed to read something like this (especially from someone like Joanie). Where would the rest of that interview be?