Traditional Irish Musical Instruments
Traditional Irish musical instruments such as the bodhran and tin whistle individually and collectively create a unique and emotive sound. This sound is easily recognizable as Irish due to its long-standing association with music from the Emerald Isle. While these instruments have folk origins, you can also hear them on records by Irish and Irish-influenced musicians such as The Corrs, Enya, The Pogues and Van Morrison.
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Bodhran
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The bodhran is an Irish frame drum with an open back. A wooden cross bar runs along the inside of the drum, just behind the skin. The player holds the bar in one hand and beats the drum with a wooden mallet known as a tipper. The bodhran creates a hollow, high-pitched sound closely associated with Irish folk and pop music. Andrea Corr, drummer and percussionist with Irish pop group The Corrs played the bodhran on their hit "What Can I Do?"
Tin Whistle
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Andrea Corr plays tin whistle while sister Sharon plays fiddle. Originally strictly a folk instrument, the tin whistle has been used by Irish musicians and bands such as The Cranberries and The Chieftains, as well as Irish-influenced American bands including Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys. The tin whistle -- also known as the penny whistle -- is a high-pitched, metallic instrument similar to a recorder. It is typically used for melodic instrumental breaks in Irish folk songs.
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Violin
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Sharon Corr playing the Irish fiddle. In Irish folk music, the violin is referred to as a fiddle and the player as a fiddler. The Irish style of fiddling is very distinctive, featuring a vigorous, almost aggressive bowing technique and fast flourishes. The fiddle is a popular instrument in the pubs of Ireland due to its transportability, volume and range of tones. This instrument came to global prominence when the song "Fairytale of New York" by Kirsty McColl and The Pogues was released in 1987.
Other Instruments
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Some Irish music features concertina and guitar. The flute features prominently on popular Irish solo artist Enya's records, adding to the ethereal mood of her music. The Irish tenor banjo, popularized by Barney McKenna of the Dubliners, is like a traditional banjo, but louder. It's designed as a solo instrument capable of cutting through the din of Irish pub folk bands. Other instruments strongly associated with Irish music include the guitar, concertina and Irish bouzouki. The concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, similar to -- yet distinct from -- the accordion. The bouzouki, of Greek origin, was introduced to Ireland in the 1960s by folk performer Jonny Moynahan, who found one while on holiday in Greece. The Irish bouzouki has fewer strings than the Greek version.
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