I spent a most enjoyable week in Waterford a few years ago - went over specially to see a rare concert by Leon Redbone - and dropped in to a couple of excellent sessions, just to listen. I was reminding myself of this trip just now by looking at a web page on Waterford pub sessions - and came across this witty and sensible set of etiquette "rules":

Some notes on "session etiquette", regarding acceptable behaviour as a guest:

• Refrain from asking for your favourite tunes unless invited to do so.
• Even if the low volume and (to your ears) dubious quality of an octogenarian's
"sean nos" (old style singing) is not to your liking - do not start a loud conversation
while everyone else is trying to listen.
• If you want to take photos, do so without causing too much disturbance - and remember
that most participants in a session are there for fun, not as paid cast members.
• Should you have bought a bodhran or a tin whistle the day before and just started to read
the instructions ... please refrain from joining in as a "musician" and thus embarrassing yourself.