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Subjects · Leaving Cert Music

Leaving Cert Music: Traditional instruments & players

How often Traditional instruments & players comes up on the Music papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

OL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Traditional instruments & players, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Traditional instruments & players.

(a)On the uilleann pipes, what does the chanter play?
  1. A continuous drone
  2. The melody
  3. The chords
(b)How was the old Irish harp traditionally strung and played?
  1. Nylon strings, played with a plectrum
  2. Gut strings, played with a bow
  3. Wire strings, played with the fingernails
(c)What does the tipper (cipín) do?
  1. Strikes the bodhrán
  2. Plucks the harp
  3. Bows the fiddle
Show the answers

(a) The melody

(b) Wire strings, played with the fingernails

(c) Strikes the bodhrán

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Traditional instruments & players.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q5A, Q5Bv
2024Q5A
2023Q5A, Q5Bii
2022Q5A, Q5Bv
2021Q5A, Q5Bv
2019Q5A, Q5Biv
2018Q5A
2017Q5A, Q5Bi
2016Q5A

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Traditional instruments & players questions

Traditional instruments & players, 2 marks

A beginner's set of uilleann pipes has only a bag, bellows and chanter. What is it called?

  1. A full set
  2. A half set
  3. A practice set
Show the answer

A practice set

A practice set lets a learner master the chanter first. A half set adds the drones, and a full set has drones and regulators too.

Traditional instruments & players, 3 marks

Most Irish button accordion players use which kind of instrument?

  1. A one-row box in F
  2. A two-row box tuned B/C or C sharp/D
  3. A piano accordion with bass buttons
Show the answer

A two-row box tuned B/C or C sharp/D

Two rows tuned a semitone apart give a full chromatic range. B/C and C sharp/D are the standard tunings for traditional button accordions.

Traditional instruments & players, 2 marks

With which county is the concertina most strongly associated in Irish music?

  1. Clare
  2. Donegal
  3. Wexford
Show the answer

Clare

The concertina became hugely popular in Clare, where players such as Elizabeth Crotty and later Noel Hill kept a strong tradition alive.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q5
2024Q5
2023Q5
2022Q5
2021Q5
2019Q5
2018Q5
2017Q5
2016Q5

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Traditional instruments & players questions

Traditional instruments & players, 2 marks

How is air supplied to the bag of the uilleann pipes?

  1. By the player blowing into it
  2. By a foot pedal
  3. By bellows pumped with the elbow
Show the answer

By bellows pumped with the elbow

Uilleann means elbow. The piper pumps bellows under the arm to fill the bag, unlike Scottish pipes, which are blown by mouth.

Traditional instruments & players, 2 marks

Which part of the uilleann pipes plays the melody?

  1. Bellows
  2. Chanter
  3. Drones
Show the answer

Chanter

The chanter is the fingered pipe that plays the tune. The drones sound long held notes and the bellows supply the air.

Traditional instruments & players, 3 marks

Which harper and composer lived from 1670 to 1738?

  1. Turlough O'Carolan
  2. Seán Ó Riada
  3. Edward Bunting
Show the answer

Turlough O'Carolan

Carolan was a blind harper who travelled Ireland writing tunes, called planxties, for his patrons. Bunting collected harp music later, in the 1790s.

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