Irish Flute Archives

Irish Music, Music & Musicians

Mike Rafferty (flute)

Posted on November 22, 2021November 26, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

Mike Rafferty was an Irish flute player from Ballinakill in Co. Galway, who emigrated to the US and became a major figure in Irish traditional music there.
Born in 1926, he learned his music from his father Barrell Rafferty, who played flute and uilleann pipes. In 1949 he emigrated to the US where he married and raised a family of 5.

He toured all over the US with the group the Green Fields of America, and was influential in the early days of Comhaltas, as a member of the Martin Mulvihill Branch.
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Irish Music

Des Seery Irish Flutes – Demo CD

Posted on November 13, 2021February 15, 2023 by Stephen Ducke

Below is a series of recordings demonstrating polymer flutes made by Des Seery from Co. Wicklow. Sadly Des is no longer with us, so I’ve kept the CD up here for posterity. I don’t have much information about the recording, other than that the musicians are Pat Fitzpatrick, Eamonn de Barra and Ken Murphy.

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians, Tunes

Jim Donoghue – Irish tin whistle player

Posted on November 1, 2021November 1, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

Jim Donoghue (1910-90) was a Sligo tin whistle player, known for his style of playing the “Clarke Whistle” – he played in a strong, rhythmic style with a tone that approached that of the Irish flute. He obtained his unique tone by working or “humouring” the fipple of his Clarke tin whistle, and played many of his tunes in unique settings. Below is his version of the Battering Ram jig.

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Tunes, Reels

Vincent Broderick’s Reel (Midsummer’s Night) – Irish Flute

Posted on November 1, 2021November 11, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

Vincent Broderick’s reel or Midsummer’s Night, reel on Irish flute associated with the Irish flute player Vincent Broderick. See also Broderick’s Jig and the Haunted House, two other tunes associated with him.

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Tunes, Reels

The Sailor’s Bonnet (Reel)

Posted on October 20, 2021October 20, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

The Sailor’s Bonnet, reel associated with John McKenna, the Irish flute player from County Leitrim. Played here on tin whistle

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians

John McKenna (flute)

Posted on October 20, 2021October 20, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

John McKenna was an influential Irish flute player. Born in 1880 in Tarmon, Co Leitrim, he worked in the Arigna coal mines before emigrating to the States in 1911, where he settled in New York. He made 60 recordings (78s) between 1921 and 1937, including several duets with violinist James Morrisson. He was among the first to make recordings of Irish traditional music, with James Morrisson (fiddle), Patsy Tuohy (uilleann pipes) and other emigrant musicians, at the time of Francis O’Neill’s book “The Dance Music of Ireland.

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians, Video

Cruinniu – hornpipe & 2 reels

Posted on October 18, 2021October 18, 2021 by Stephen Ducke

The group Cruinniu playing at the Cooley/Collins festival, with 3 tunes : the Boys of Bluehill and 2 reels. With Jack Talty (keyboard), Ann Marie Grogan (flute), Caitlíin Nic Gabhann (concertina), Siobhán O’Donnell (bodhrán and vocals), Damien O’Reilly (accordion) and Áine Bird (fiddle).

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians, Video

Orlaith McAuliffe (Irish Flute)

Posted on October 20, 2016January 2, 2017 by Stephen Ducke

Orlaith McAuliffe plays a set of reels on Irish flute, accompanied by guitarist Siobhan O’Donnell

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians, Video

Orlaith McAuliffe & Colm O’Donnell (Irish Flute)

Posted on October 20, 2016January 2, 2017 by Stephen Ducke

Orlaith McAuliffe & Colm O’Donnell (Irish Flute) accompanied by Siobhan O’Donnell on guitar. Recorded at the Herschel Arms, Slough.

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Irish Music, Music & Musicians

Peter Horan & Matt Molloy (Irish flute)

Posted on September 19, 2016September 19, 2016 by Stephen Ducke

Peter Horan & Matt Molloy play 3 reels at the Gradam Ceoil ceremony in 2002. The tunes are the Boys of the Lough, the Devils of Dublin and the Humours of Lissadell