The old tradition I recall was oral. There were no radios in some of the houses where I first heard 'it' let alone a record player. The instruments were the very basic kind show, Tin Whistle - Fiddle - Box and in those days the French Fiddle (Harmonica). So besides a 'dot' reader/writer, a rare commodity, there was no other way of passing the music.

I believe Aine's show was great precisely because it correctly draws attention to some of the err lesser known sources of Trad.

The Piper you mentioned sounds great - I oughto get the CD and give it a whirl..

Here is something for you PJ there are hundreds of very beautiful 'Old Time' tunes here in the South. Most of the ones I like are influenced by what we call 'Old Time Banjo'. Although records and tabs of the tunes are readily available you'd be lucky to find a player capable of preforming them. Occasionaly a 'picker' passes through who can but mostly it is a rare event. Remind you of the Uillean Pipes and Irish Trad in the 50's?