Hi Mike I learned from a Co Sligo Ireland player in England way back and like you I was the ultimate Whistle Dummy - really ! My email is qtech@ionet.net - feel free to drop me a line -

Here is some of what I then learned. Lesson 1. Sit down make your self comfortable, now get both your feet tapping , there is no right or wrong way. Just need to be able to keep that going while you blow anything on the whistle. It took me a week or two to get started but in the end I got it going.

My foot tunes mostly go rightTAP leftTAP and I play a reel for example by keeping the strong beat notes in time with the feet. hahaaaa , I know it sounds weird but it does work and is great fun as well! The notes that are not on a foot beat I mostly don't worry too much over but can get em most of the time. The breathing is also much simplified this way. You know which notes you can cheat on hehe - since the feet notes cannot not be dropped and when playing slowly this is silly easy to do!

A reel played slowly this way takes on a new meaning! The rhythm sounds like Behdeee Bedaaaagh. The feet go with the BE sounds. Oh BTW IGNORE ALL DECORATIONS untill you know at least 100 Reels and 100 Jigs. I nearly never decorate at all - preferring the way I first heard the Sligo style - plain jane and like all home made stuff very very beautiful.

Look out for recordings by Miko Russell Co Clare Ireland - Also if you can find any 'Junior'Crehan recordings get em. He did a lot of tours and RTE may have archived some of his stuff. Real Leperachaun music - I often think they are out there when I play the tunes especially on fiddle!

IMHO This style of playing is to Irish Trad what Delta is to the Blues!