Was a recorder a "people's" instrument? Would it be something played around the hearth in the average Irish home?

And of course speaking of "traditional" Irish instruments - what about the guitar? How long has that been part of Irish music - less than 100 years? I first picked up the whistle to play because all the idiots who know only 4 chords on their guitars thought little of me just because "all" I could contribute was being able to sing over 150 songs, play the spoons, bodhran, and jews harp.