Well, this small, quick whistle is well known in sicily where we can found real virtuosos.
In the the southern italian folk music, we can find some instruments similar to the irish ones: whistles and frame drums, some with cymbals on them (tamburello), flutes, mandolins.
The music, obviously, is very "mediterranean", full of sun, joy and energy.
The "friscalittu" or friscaletto, frischietto, etc. has 9 holes: 7 in the upper part, two in the back. Made in reed (sometimes in wood) is an inexpensive stuff, and in the past was made with relative ease just cutting a portion of reed. Usually is tuned in C, A and G. Here a link to a website owned by an italian maker: http://www.friscalettu.it/nozioni.php
Italy is a wonderful country, every region has his own culture and folk music that only in recent times we are rediscovering and revaluating. In south of Italy we can find the "taranta" (bited by a tarantula), "tarantella", pizzica" (sounds like "pluck"), "pizzica-tarantata".
This is a good example, a medley composed with some italian tunes. The tune that starts at 1:30 is a well known roman "stornello", called "la sagra dell'uva" (grape festival)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H5NWP0hTlQ
Felice Anno Nuovo