The Banjo most commonly used to play Irish Traditional Music is called a Tenor Banjo. It has 4 strings and G, D, A, E the same as the fiddle but is tuned an octave lower. It has frets marked up along the shaft to tell you where to put your fingers. The shaft of the banjo is short and the strings are plucked using a plectrum.

There is also a 5 string banjo that has a fifth string coming half way down the shaft. The shaft of this banjo is longer and it is usually picked with the fingers and not a plectrum.

One of the best known banjo players is Barney McKenna of the Dubliners. His playing did a lot to make it more popular.