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This page presents audio samples of Martin Doyle and other musicians playing Martin Doyle flutes. Quoted below, Martin's good friend Ronan Browne offers an astute observation regarding the recordings displayed on this page.
These samples have been recorded in environments ranging from recording studios to churches to lounge rooms and kitchens. All the instruments have been made by the same maker and it makes for an interesting exercise to listen to their different sounds in each location.
It is also worth noting that each player has his or her own unique way of playing, which is also reflected in the recordings.
Playing a flute is like writing a book. You're telling what's in your heart. — Eddie Cahill
We hope you enjoy listening to these flute music samples and we would like to thank the musicians for their contributions.
Martin Doyle
Martin Doyle recorded these tunes on a variety of keyless C flutes, using cross-fingering to obtain flats and sharps.
Below: The tunes are Sally In The Willow (jig) and The Star Above The Garter (slide).
Below: The tunes are Paddy Fahey's (reel) and The Cliffs of Moher (jig).
Below: The tunes are Paddy Be Aisy (aka Wink And She’ll Follow You), unknown and A Fig For A Kiss (slip jigs).
Below: The tunes are an unknown jig and Ladies Bonnet (reel).
Below: The tune is Sean Tiobrad Arann (jig).
Below: The tune is The Blue Hills of Antrim (air).
Martin is accompanied by harpist Claire O'Donnell. This is a tune that Martin learned from his mother, who often sang it to him when he was a child. For more information on this tune, visit The Blue Hills of Antrim/Maureen Hegarty and The Blue Hills of Antrim lyrics.
Below: This tune is called King of the Blind – a Turlough O'Carolan composition that featured in Nicholas Carolan's facsimile edition of John & William Neal, A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes proper for the violin, German flute or hautboy, which was first published in 1724. For this piece, Martin Doyle is playing one of his Baroque flutes.
Below: The tune is Poll Ha'Penny (hornpipe). This piece was actually played on an old wooden William Richards concert flute, not a simple system flute. It is a lovely tune with such an interesting backstory that we felt obliged to include it on this page. For more information, click on the Martin Doyle Playing Concert Flute link below.
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Ronan Browne
Ronan Browne is a well-known Irish traditional musician – a piper and flute player, composer and teacher – who lives in Conamara, County Galway. He is also a member of CRAN and duets with Peter O'Loughlin. Ronan's first two pieces, Sí Beag Sí Mhór and Contentment is Wealth, were recorded live during a wedding at the Church of the Assumption in Collooney, County Sligo.
Below: The tune is Sí Beag Sí Mhór (waltz) – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of cocus wood.
Below: The tune is Contentment is Wealth (jig) – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of cocus wood.
Below: The tune is Planxty Irwin (jig) – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of cocus wood.
Below: The tune is Hector the Hero (waltz) – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of cocus wood.
Below: The tune is Wild Mountain Thyme – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of cocus wood.
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The Aiki Céilí Band
Below: The tunes are The Green Fields of Rosbeigh and Paddy on the Railroad (reels)
This is a recording of The Aiki Céilí Band – four musicians who are members of Martin Doyle's Clare Aikikai Aikido group in Liscannor, County Clare. The Aiki Céilí Band consists of Martin Doyle (flute), Éamon McCarthy (flute), Frank Healy (double bass) and Gabrielle Cappachione (guitar). This piece of music was recorded at the Liscannor town hall for a radio programme called The Music Tree, which features Martin Doyle on a visit to Tanzania to experience first-hand the efforts being made to preserve and equitably manage African Blackwood.
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Joe Doyle
Joe Doyle (one of Martin Doyle's two sons) is an actor, musician, voice artist and model.
Below: The tune is The Green Fields of Rosbeigh (reel).
Joe recorded this tune at his father's home in County Clare on a D flute made of African Blackwood in June 2011. This particular flute is significant in that it was the first flute that Martin Doyle had produced from FSC certified African Blackwood.
Below: The tune is The Flute Maker Martin Doyle (jig).
Joe composed and recorded this tune in late August 2011. He said that the tune came to him while he was playing his Brazilian rosewood flute in the garden of Martin Doyle's home in County Clare, so he named it in honour of his father.
Brian Morgan
This sample of Brian Morgan playing the flute (with Joe Doyle accompanying him on bouzouki) was recorded by Martin Doyle in April 2013. Brian, a left-handed player from Corofin in County Clare, is playing a Martin Doyle six key flute made from Brazilian rosewood. A photo of Brian's flute can be viewed here »
Below: The tunes are The Bush In Bloom, Lady Ann Montgomery and Maud Millar (all reels).
Eimear McGeown
Eimear McGeown is an accomplished musician from County Armagh in Northern Ireland who plays both classical and Irish flutes. A Northern Ireland Champion dancer at a young age, Eimear began playing whistle at the age of nine and progressed to the Irish flute a year later, having lessons with Sligo born flautist Séamus Tansey. Eimear was the Ulster Champion on the whistle at eleven years old and went on to win two All Ireland Champion titles on the Irish flute both as a soloist and in a trio with her brother and sister. Both tracks below are played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of African Blackwood.
Eimear McGeown is an accomplished musician from County Armagh in Northern Ireland who plays both classical and Irish flutes. A Northern Ireland Champion dancer at a young age, Eimear began playing whistle at the age of nine and progressed to the Irish flute a year later, having lessons with Sligo born flautist Séamus Tansey. Eimear was the Ulster Champion on the whistle at eleven years old, and she went on to win two All Ireland Champion titles on the Irish flute, both as a soloist and in a trio with her brother and sister. Both tracks below are played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of African Blackwood.
Below: The tune is Brendan's Air.
Below: The tune is Fir A' Bhata (waltz) – produced by John Tonks.
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Gerry O'Donnell
The passion Gerry O'Donnell exudes for Irish traditional music comes from an early family background in traditional music and dance. Originally from Belfast, he is regarded as one of the foremost exponents of the Northern style of traditional flute playing. The Erne Rising project he inspired was born of a recognition that the traditional music of County Fermanagh and the lakeland area was a rich and largely untapped musical source. Gerry is playing a Martin Doyle D flute made from African Blackwood.
Below: The tunes are Bessie the Beauty of Rossinare Hill (waltz) and unknown jigs.
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Desi Wilkinson
Desi Wilkinson is a well-known Irish traditional musician, educator and historian who is originally from Belfast and now lives in County Clare. The lovely piece below is the opening track from Desi's Shady Woods album that also features on Wooden Flute Obsession 2. Desi is also a member of CRAN. Recommended reading: Interview with Desi Wilkinson.
Below: The tune is My Lagan Love (air) – played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of Yew wood.
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Cathal McConnell
Cathal McConnell is a renowned Irish traditional musician originally from County Fermanagh. A flute player, whistler, singer/songwriter and storyteller, Cathal is one of the founding members of Boys of the Lough. More: A Gift From Cathal McConnell.
Below: The tune is The Fairy Strain (air) played on a keyless Martin Doyle C flute made from maple wood.
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Mick Hand
Mick Hand is a renowned flute player and Irish traditional musician from Dublin. The track featured below is taken from the Wooden Flute Obsession 2 album, and Mick is playing a Martin Doyle D flute made of African Blackwood.
Below: The tunes are Sliabh Gael Gua na Feile (air) and Tomeen O'Dea's (reel).
Enda Seery
Enda Seery is a whistle and flute player from County Westmeath in Ireland who has two albums to his credit – The Winding Clock (2010) and Síocháin Na Tuaithe: Peace of the Countryside (2013). Here is a sample (track 6) from Síocháin Na Tuaithe, on which Enda is playing a Martin Doyle keyless D flute made of African Blackwood.
Below: The tunes are Santa Cruz and Friends from The States.
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Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is the lead singer and flute player with the traditional Irish music group Danú and a tutor at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick. Muireann hails from Dún Chaoin in County Kerry, Ireland. The track featured below is from the album Dual that Muireann recorded in 2008 with Julie Fowlis, Éamon Doorley and Ross Martin. She is playing a Martin Doyle keyed D flute made from African Blackwood.
Below: The tunes are Cailíní Deasa Mhuigheo, Eadar Alba is Éirinn, Mrs Ramsay of Barton and Tie the Bonnet Tight (all reels).
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Leonora Lyne
Leonora Lyne is a flute player from Ireland who recently purchased a B flute from Martin Doyle. Martin's B flutes are completely his own design. The following tunes were recorded by Leonara on the B flute.
Below: The tunes are Na Conneries (slow air) and an unknown reel.
Below: Unknown hornpipes.
Elizabeth Petcu
The following tracks are all played on a Martin Doyle keyless cocus wood D flute and are featured on Elizabeth Petcu's debut solo flute album, Just Me, which was produced in late 2008. The other eleven tracks that comprise the album are played on a Muramatsu concert flute with a wooden headjoint made by Martin Doyle.
Below: The tune is Telemann's Presto from Fantasy in D major (classical).
Below: The tune is Telemann's Allegro from Fantasy in G major (classical).
Below: The tune is My Lagan Love (air).
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Shardul
Shardul teaches meditation in New Zealand and specialises in playing the meditative music of his spiritual Master Sri Chinmoy. Both of the tunes below are Sri Chinmoy's songs and both were played on a Martin Doyle keyless D flute made of cocus wood.
Below:The tune is Shunite Chahina.
Below: The tune is Ar Sab Jai Jak.
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George Hoar
George Hoar is a jazz composer and multi-instrumentalist from North Carolina in the USA.
Below: The tune is The Tumbler – played on a Martin Doyle traditional style D flute made of African Blackwood.