Thanks for taking the trouble to reply Janie, I've made a few notes for future reference! The other posts are very informative too. I love finding out about real American life at 'ground level' as distinct from the bland version we usually get from TV.

I must say I'm dubious about 'Celtic' as used here in relation to traditional music. As I see it the concept of a 'Celtic' music is a product of some marketing gurus wishing to broaden the appeal of true folk music. I'm not saying that there isn't a lot of fine (and highly commercial) music produced under that label, but the term 'Celtic' is surely not to be confused with traditional Irish or Scottish music?

I have the same difficulty with the term 'British Isles' used to denote Britain (ie,England, Wales and Scotland) and Ireland. As a geographical term it has always been purely arbitrary (nomenclature as well as history is written by the winners), and could just as readily have been 'The Celtic Isles'. Linguistically and culturally these same 'Isles' were never completely one, though superficially it might apper so to a casual observer. As a political entity it was a long-term failure (Many would say an unmitigated dissaster) which went out of existance well over half a century ago but the consequences of which are only now finally 'washing through' the governmental systems.