You can find out what instruments were played in prehistoric times as part of Heritage Week in Boyle (Co Roscommon, Ireland). There will be a presentation of instruments from Ireland’s Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Early Medieval times on Monday, August 28, at King House in Boyle at 7pm.
     Simon O’Dwyer, author of Prehistoric Music of Ireland, plays a wide range of horns, trumpas, bone flutes, bronze bells, stone flutes and whistles (all the instruments are exact reproductions – the originals are in museums). He also demonstrates how the instruments were used in stories from Irish legend. Simon will take you on a journey from the first habitation in Ireland circa 8,000 BCE through to the Early Medieval period 700 CE where his story ends and history begins. He discusses the origins and evolvement of prehistoric instruments and reproductions are examined and played. Comparisons are made with contemporary and modern descendent instruments.
     Prehistoric Music Ireland are Simon and Maria Cullen O’Dwyer. Their work is the culmination of 15 years’ reproducing and musically exploring Irish instruments from prehistory. The instruments range from late Bronze Age horns to the great Celtic trumpas of the middle Iron Age and on to wood wind instruments of early Christianity. Admission is E5 and tickets can be booked on 071-9663242, or kinghouse@roscommoncoco.ie, or call into King House, Main Street, Boyle.

Source: Sligo Weekender (15 August 2006)