I go to mass every Sunday and sometimes even durng the week and have heard very little "folk music" at all. Our parish has a great adult choir and a junior choir but they stick solely to hymns with a small pipe organ. The nearest they ever get to folk music would be a very rare occasion when they may attempt a fairly sophisticated version of Carter's "Lord of the Dance" or " Go tell it on the mountain". But this suits me well, I go to mass for the mass and if I want to hear folk music I will go to a club or a concert or play it myself at home.

I agree with some of the comments above, folk music does not make money therefore it is not given the air time or the T.V. exposure of other forms of music, and that is why young people know little about it, given the opportunity I am sure the younger generations would find it really interesting and refreshing.