let's keep it rolling - almost 4 years since the original post!

i disagree with ya, poppagator- i live in the us and hear "fields of athenry" almost every time i go out- usually as a mid-tempo ballad with loud audience shoutback if you are in the right pubs (boston, san diego, denver, san francisco, seattle - they play this everywhere i've been). we shout sinn fein and ira in the pubs that let us - we get in fights in the pubs that don't ;-)

if your pub is merely "irish-themed" that may be your problem. you want "irish-owned"...