Interviewing Lír Whistle - What Happened Last Year?

[@emmerusspiritualite6761]

Thank you so much for this interview, I'll get one of Lir whistles for sure. Being European myself, I support Lir as Brexit and Covid have really affected small companies. People should understand that they are not purchasing on amazon, and understand that sometimes there are delays. All my support from France to you and this nice company.

[@giorgiolamborghini813]

About 2 weeks ago I complained of a delay in my order of December 6, 2021 of a tin whistle Lìr, well, it arrived today January 25 and I point out that the company Lìr Sound was timely in shipping and that the disservices do not depend on them but on other factors and then, not least, the Christmas period that is not conducive to the receipt of goods from abroad. With this I want to reiterate the absolute seriousness of Lìr Sound and I am sure to turn again to them for the purchase of other whistles for the high quality, the one just arrived, I assure you that it works very well, has a wonderful voice and is very responsive. It was worth the wait!

[@toneranger]

Can't beat Irish customer service, well done LIR for explaining and well done Stephanie for giving them the opportunity and everything you do for whistling

[@benjamincazin]

I am so happy that this has been shared. I experienced some of these challenges last year when hoping to purchase an engraved Lir whistle in high C. I'm now reassured enough to try again, especially with the new silver plating - and those sharp-looking cases! Thanks so much Stephanie and Niamh (hope I spelt that right). Also, if i ever play even an nth as well as the chap at the end I would consider myself most accomplished!

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Oh my gosh I know, right! 😍 Let's take a moment to be humbled by his majestic playing 😱❤️

[@usernamemykel]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle WHO was playing the whistle? Kyle, Sean, ???????

[@detenator890]

Thank you very much for making this video. I was waiting for almost three months last year to get my whistle and I almost lost hope before it showed up in the mail. So happy to hear the company has sorted the shipping issues. It's a very high quality instrument and I can't wait to see more keys. Cheers!

[@seanbrennan9193]

Thank you for sharing this interview! I ordered one of their whistles and while it did take a while to arrive (due to the issues that were mentioned above), the whistle is wonderful and I love playing it. I plan on ordering a whole set now. :)

[@Lelldorin84]

Got a Bb last year, sounds great, plays great. Good company. Would recommend.

[@rickyh8522]

I live in Florida and just ordered LIR whistle and a very beginner. I always love the sound of the Irish whistles and hope I can teach myself at least a song. ❤

[@brettbrown9814]

Thank you for organizing this interview and making this video. I recently ordered the Lir high D and am very happy with it. Good communication, fast shipping and tracking and lovely packaging. The whistle is beautifully crafted and sounds wonderful. I believe they have sorted the issues they were experiencing in 2021.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Certainly seems that way 💚💚💚

[@giorgiolamborghini813]

Thank you very much Stephanie for your continued commitment. For Christmas I wanted to give myself a present and I opted for a nice whistle Lìr in D but I was aware of the problems the manufacturer had in receiving it. So I contacted them on the 6th of December 2021 and they replied that all the problems had been resolved and that if I ordered it on the same day it would be shipped on the 9th of December (the 8th was a public holiday); so, I immediately placed the order and Lìr Sound was quite correct and sent it to me on the 10th, and on the 14th it arrived at PORTLAOISE MAIL CENTRE and on the 16th it arrived at LONDON, HEATHROW TRANSIT HUB and on the same day it was in transit to Italy and the tracking stops there. Now I would like to know where my whistle is; I therefore contacted Lìr Sound on 22 December who assured me that it will arrive very soon. But today, 12 January 2022, nothing has arrived yet. Let's see how this odyssey will end!

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Oh no, sorry to hear you're still waiting for it. I hope it arrives soon!

[@menace46]

What a lovely young woman. A wonderful representative for Lir.

[@grahambunting2842]

I received my D last week and I love it! The shipping was amazingly fast to the USA. The tone of this whistle is just beautiful.

[@maz6232]

What was the space of time between order and receiving? We talking a month? Less?

[@ah4furnishings348]

That was awesome 😎 So glad they acknowledged you too!!

[@michaelrs8010]

OMG. While I'm glad for the Lir people, I was afraid something like this might happen. Last thing I heard about them were horrific stories coming out of last year, so I kind of wrote them off. Recently I was looking to purchase a quality whistle for around $100. Pretty much had narrowed it down to a Killarney or Wild. So I go on to this nice Facebook group for some practical advice from users of both. Of course that's not even safe because then a couple of other whistles get thrown in the mix 😄 But then, just as I'm getting close to make a decision, I come across THIS video. Well, that's it then. There's nothing for it. I'll just have to win the lottery. Then I won't have to worry about such things as discretionary spending. Then I can buy all three of them or whatever other whistles suit my fancy willy-nilly. 😄

[@Lukewebbharpist]

PLEASE make more of these videos!!!! So so good!

[@AndieArbeit]

well... they know how to make me feel interested about a fancy detail as the case, always tend to carry whistles inside a drumstick's bag, but that case they sell is perfect for more serious players. Amazing interpretation that final jig

[@douglaspenney8046]

Wonderful interview. Sounds like a great company to support. I'm going to order my first ever whistle 😊

[@-RONNIE]

Thank you for sharing this video with us 👍🏻

[@exwhyz33]

Great video. Lir need to produce a 'shush' version of their Lir whistlr. Also Lir should make a recorder.

[@vinniejones8009]

I was going to order a LIR, but I had heard they were having so many problems I decided to buy a Wild whistle instead. The Wild is very good but I would still like to try a LIR at some point. What I cant understand is why are they still having problems with whistles stuck at Heathrow. My Wild came from Ireland and there was no problem with delivery at all, I had to wait three weeks for it to be made but I got it within a week of them sending it, and that was before Christmas.

[@mandohoney]

Going to buy the whole set.

[@jofftalbot1348]

Thanks for doing this interview. Great whistles, good people and looking forward to that low D. Would be an interesting comparison with the Carbony low D. Lastly, that end tune - magical 🙏🏽🌈👌🏽🎶

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

There's one in its way in the mail 💚💚💚 so very excited to try it!

[@arcticwanderer2000]

Hello Is that a high D whistle the gent is playing, I like the tone?

[@jgarber235]

That is a beautiful jig and well-played. Does anyone know the name of the tune?

[@tim6151]

Nice whistles, but I wish Lir would include a pouch and polishing cloth with each whistle purchase.

[@Tsa4048]

Nice to watch them play so fast but for me I know I'll never accomplish that speed. 😅 If I can play like you that will already be a big achievement! Please keep it slow for us beginners Stephanie! 👍

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

I don't have any choice 🤣 I'll never be able to play that fast either 😂

[@markusasunta]

It is not about speed really, but about rhythm, phrasing and then ornamentation to help those two. Ability to play fast(er) comes with practice and repetition. I think anybody can learn to play a tune faster than they ever should, but for those things that matter, listening to a bunch of great players (even the fast ones) is essential.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle I am going for the slow ans steady approach now that Mrs C and I have just retired from our creaking but still functioning NHS ...thanks for sharing this with us all...E

[@christophertsiliacos8958]

On an added note, all Lír whistles are machined by hand, fully inspected, and played by experts in western Ireland for the best in quality control. 😊

[@ChrisLeeW00]

I was just wondering recently if anyone made silver plated whistles, these are great!

[@silverpairaducks]

I just checked the site. Those are gorgeous.

[@emmerusspiritualite6761]

Yesss ! I’ll order a case too to keep the whistle safe. 😇

[@Cara-Art.Shark-Skinner]

Great interview! :)

[@Tremendouz]

I'd love to see a review on the low D Lir whistle if you ever get the chance. They seem to already sell it but there's no sound example or video.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Coming on Wednesday 😊 it was set to go out this Friday but I figured it wasn't ideal when a lot of eyes were diverted to the news. It's a lovely whistle!

[@Tremendouz]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle Awesome, I might be on the market for a "premium" low D after getting a couple of cheaper ones (Dixon, Goldfinch) and the Lir one caught my eye

[@joannekeith5484]

Hello Stephanie does the low D Lir WHISTLE have easier finger hole placement for smaller hands? I am still looking for a Low D Whistle that is easier for small hands to play. I'm not 20 anymore and don't have the flexibility I once had. Thanks. Joanne from Canada EH!

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Their low whistles aren't ready yet and I don't have any, so I'll have to get back to you on that! x

[@kiddohh100]

I enjoy your channel Stephanie--thanks so much for the tutorials and tabs. Unfortunately, I received a Lir whistle this week and I was so disappointed because I watched this video too. So it arrived in a bent cardboard box and a plastic bag open at both ends. The whistle itself is poorly made-the "silver plating" is uneven with what look like brush or towel strokes in the plating. The mouthpiece is very dirty and has what appear to be tooth marks on it. There is substantial scratching where they engraved the D. There is something wrong. I do not believe for one minute this was hand-made by anyone in Ireland. Buyer beware. I have asked for a refund including the shipping.

[@slimkittens9810]

Hi Stephanie. I ordered a Lir on July 9 of last year. I received an email on Nov. 20 saying that my whistle had been sent. I have yet to receive it. Very disappointing.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

Sorry to hear you've been one of the customers suffering the delays. Hopefully your whistle arrives soon. Worth checking in again to see what's happening!

[@giorgiolamborghini813]

This is not a delay but a Kafkaesque situation, and to think that I was complaining about an order placed on 6 December last year, still to be received. Anyway the girl interviewed in the video seems to me a good and honest girl and the brand Lìr is a guarantee and a quality brand but, in my opinion, the staff of Lìr is lacking of experience in the distribution of their products. I understand the delays caused by the great demand for orders, but I don't understand the biblical times for shipping and receiving, even after solving the customs problems for non-EU countries. Couldn't they just be manufacturers at this point and entrust the distribution and shipping to those who are competent? Or increase the prices of their products a bit and use more reliable means and couriers.

[@LirWhistle]

Hi Slim Kittens, Thank you for order and for supporting Lír. This delay is a result of parcels being returned to us by American customs to be sent out again. As per our email your whistle left Ireland for the second time on the 8th of December before arriving in Heathrow on the 11th. We apologize for the inconvenience but as Niamh mentioned in the video it is very difficult for us to give a time estimate of arrival with the volume of parcels going through London. We will be in further contact via email on the matter. Again we cannot express how sorry we are for this delay. Thank you for your patience and the team here look forward to hearing that you have received your whistle. Best Regards, Seán Ó Coileáin

[@slimkittens9810]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle I wanted to update you on my lost whistle. I got a phone call (!) from Thomas at Lir (I don't want to know how much that cost). It seems that the first time the whistle was sent, it was returned by US customs for not having some sort of 'electronic tag' to comply with new right-before-Christmas rule changes. The whistle was re-mailed to me. Thomas explained all this and apologized for the delay, even though Lir was not at fault. So now I have to pursue getting an answer from the US postal service about my 'lost' package (they have a record of receiving a package but no one can find it). If it's not the incompetence of US customs it's the incompetence of the US postal service. Bottom line: the Lir people are good people to deal with and conscientious. They really went out of their way to check up on my whistle.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

@@slimkittens9810 I think they've just been hit by a bit of bad luck post-wise. That's why I wanted to share this interview. They're trying their best I think, but hitting so many obstacles. I really hope they don't get let down by postal services again this year!

[@boulylemoutonraye]

Good video :-) thanks

[@davidhale1568]

Just asking about the silver plating is it actually silver?

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

It is 😊

[@sangth9987]

Hi CutiePie. Can you cover '' Mary Bergin '' please? I appreciate your work.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

The player? Or a song she's played?

[@sangth9987]

@@CutiepieTinWhistle I thought that was the name of the song. Yeh the song she's played.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJWtipWFoMeYqrM

[@soslothful]

The two tunes in your link are: Kitty's Rambles and Padrig O'Keefe's Jig. If you read sheet music you will find them on thesession.org.

[@TheMtnmamma]

I am confused, is it a Crome finish or silver ?

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

They've just started silver plating the whistles as part of the new design 😊

[@lifeofandrewlynn9448]

Nothing like listening to someone go nuts on a whistle at the end of a video to make you feel like a complete novice! LOL

[@soslothful]

True. But that player was once a complete novice.

[@lifeofandrewlynn9448]

@@soslothful 100%

[@soslothful]

@@lifeofandrewlynn9448 Do you play whistle?

[@lifeofandrewlynn9448]

@@soslothful I do

[@soslothful]

@@lifeofandrewlynn9448 What are you working on and what whistle do you like? I'm working on this jig set: Kesh, Blackthorn Stick and Three Penny Bit. I have several high end whistles, Bruke, Rayburn and Humphrey but often play my Becker PVC and very much like them!

[@bhgardeners]

Certainly the D whistle seems to be a copy of the Killarney, perhaps you could do a comparison? I cannot see the point of whistles appearing which are copies of another, The Killarney was essentially, as far as I know a copy of the Sindt, but cheaper, some think as good, but how far do we take the process. When you or another professional player performs, then the results can be amazing...........even on a cheap old generation. Those who think that buying a different whistle will suddenly make them as good as the demo players will be disappointed. I have my Killarney brass in D and I would not change it .......except for an OZ wooden whistle, but sadly that is no longer possible.

[@CutiepieTinWhistle]

I'm not sure comparing whistles is much help to be honest. Many whistles of a similar price range tend to sound and play similarly. Killarney are lovely whistles, I personally prefer the sound and responsiveness of the Lir whistles though 😊