It makes me miserable to think that folkies aren't always lefties.

When I started out playing in folk clubs round here, the routine setup was for each member to get two bashes. My kids and I would do our Carolan tune, then a set of polkas or something like that, done and dusted in five or six minutes. Then some singing strummer would get up and do his two songs, at least one of which seemed to have 37 verses. Time to go to the bar for a pint, go back for a top-up and go for a pee in between. That was pretty miserable!

But getting involved in playing traditional music was a big part of my life. I've never been much of a passive listener to folk music or an aficionado of the slick, popular bands, but I'm very UN-miserable about what it's all done for me.