Question: when we know someone is going to Ireland, do we have them buy us a real nice whistle and bring it back?
A co-worker is traveling overseas soon and I was thinking of having her pick me up a whistle. Are the prices abroad better than what is on-line?
And then, of course, does anyone have any suggestions for a high D whistle? And where to get one in Ireland?
Thanks always, Susan
No.
No.
Where in Ireland?
My impression … Mostly what you find in high whistles are what people actually play: Generations, Feadógs, Waltons, maybe Clares. The best variety for the last three is in tourist shops, right near the painted bodhráns. 
Music shops seem to carry American-made Susatos as their “higher end” whistles. Coals to Newcastle. Some may carry Dixons. Waltons (Dublin) carries Waltons. McNeill’s (Dublin) may have a selection. If the shop lets you pick through, say, a box of Gens, your friend should know what she’s doing. Prices about the same as the States, Susatos higher.
Other fancier high whistles you sometimes see there are probably mostly ordered direct, same as here.
Low whistles … Powell’s (Galway) had Chieftains and a few others. Custy’s (Ennis) and McNeill’s and McCullough Pigott (Dublin) about the same, IIRC. Others can say better.
I did once have a kind friend bring me back a handful of Feadógs and Waltons, just because it was convenient and saved a bit of postage. But nothing that can’t be found online. Especially if you’re not trying them out yourself anyway.
What about a 2-piece Clare? They seem useful and don’t seem easy to come by here in the states.
A few years ago, a friend of mine volunteered to go hunting for a Clare in, of all places, Clare. Or at least tourist shops (not music shops) where she happened to be that visit - Kilrush, Ennis, Bunratty. And no joy, 2-piece or one. I ended up getting mine from a nice Chiffer here on the board.
No use for the head really, which I don’t much like. But the 2-piece tube is great with a nice Gen head on it.
Tucson Whistler wrote:
What about a 2-piece Clare? They seem useful and don’t seem easy to come by here in the states.
Here’s a place to get the 2-piece Clares - I have a green head - these seem to be mostly red:
http://www.lollysmith.com/fetinwhinasc.html
I’ve never shopped at this site, so I can’t endorse it, but they have a nice collection of standard whistles under $15USD
I bought my Clare two-piece from here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tin-Whistle-Clare-2-part-D-Brass-Made-Ireland-/190366359735?pt=UK_Woodwind_Instruments&hash=item2c52b820b7
I’m not 100% sure, but I think the seller is the manufacturer (David Le Bas). As a whistle, I don’t have a preference between the Clare, my Generation in brass or my Walton’s “Little Black Whistle” in aluminium, but you’ll guess which one gets slipped into the jacket pocket 
That’s pretty much what I remember from my trip there in '95. I was hoping to come home with a whistle and a bodhran. Every whistle I saw was of the inexpensive variety that I could easily buy at home so no luck there. I did manage to find a bodhran shop on a little side street. They had hundreds of them in there and I wound up buying a nice 18" drum that I still have …and no, nothing is painted on the skin.
I’ve tried only a few of them and didn’t find the head design to produce a very desirable sound. Very weak and lacking in crispness and responsiveness. Required more air to play than, say, a feadog or generation with less focus and tone than either of those two. Again, my experience with this model is limited so perhaps there are better ones out there?
Mabye you could find some hobby tubing in a craft store that is a size bigger than a generation or feadog tube and cut one in half to make your own two piece whistle.
Make sure your friend doesn’t buy any whistle with “Guinness” on the packaging.
And as for two piece Clares, replace the head with a Hoover whitecap and you’ll have a great little whistle.
How come? The Guinness whistle is just a rebranded Waltons Little Black Whistle with a white head. So yes, it’s overpriced compared to the LBW. But inherently not a bad whistle.
…or any Guinness with “whistle” on the packaging…
…or any package with Guinness in the whistle …
… or …
Don’t forget Charlie Byrne’s, just around the corner from Walton’s in Dublin. He stocks a wide selection of whistles, some of which are decidedly high end (or did last time I went in there about 18 months ago, in any case). You do, as me oul’ pal, Jimmy Troy warned me once, have to set aside half a day to chat to Charlie.
I bought my first whistle when I travelled round Ireland, way back in the last century. It just seemed like the right thing to do. 'twas a Generation Bb (I had NO idea), which I only dug out & learned to play last year.
Generation whistles are, of course, made in England…
Yes, I sell the Clare whistle which is irish and it is $15 US dollars + shipping and I have them in stock. I also have Jerry freeman Tweaked whistles which are great BTW but they are USA and English tweaked whistles by Jerry.