Hi, I’m new to whistles, I have two, I have no idea what I am doing, I can’t play much and can’t find where to begin, what to do, what not to do. My whistles are brass I guess and not shiny. I want to shine them but would be afraid of damaging them. I’m lost where to begin. How to toot, twittle, warble, waft along, play a credible song that won’t get me thrown out of a talent show or gonged.
You are not alone. Try these two recent threads:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=20652
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=20692
There should be a lot of information and a few links to get you started.
I have been in your shoes…but just remember…you will alsways be your worst critic. There are some great websites out there which provide information for beginners. Use your search engine…Just type in Pennywhistel or Irish whistle. Just skim through the sites.
Heh, “Pennywhistel” (sic) actually got some penny whistle hits. I just had to try, you see! 
I remember getting my first whistle, the Clare, and I blew into it for the first time. I was disappointed, “This doesn’t sound like an Irish whistle!!!”
But I shut up after that, and shut myself in my room and practiced the basic fingering. I was able to play the classic beginners songs, Twinkle twinkle little star and Mary had a little lamb. Then I went to school for a year and didn’t touch my whistle. But the following summer I shut myself in my room again and practiced, and practiced some more…and some more, until I figured out some things. I listened to the Corrs’ instrumentals and learned how to play them. My first fast song was Haste to the Wedding…I was so proud of myself.
So I went from slowly tooting Mary had a little lamb to rolling through a jig.
You’ll get there!! I promise. I had never really picked up an instrument before at all and I can’t read music, so learning how to play the whistle was a huge thing for me. And when you are able to play songs, you won’t be able to stop…
And I’d like to add, welcome to the board.