Paul S: If you can usually make a distinction between the music of Ireland and Scotland then you're not listening to a wide enough variety of (folk) music from either of those lands . .

There is a wide range of folk music from England, with strong regional variations of styles. And there is considerable cross-over between the musics of all of these islands off the west cost of Europe, and even between them and that mainland. And, indeed, a number of the tunes you "recognise" as Irish or Scotish will have originated in England (as far as anyone can be certain about these things).

But - so what?

George