Foolestroupe -- which recent riots are you referring to?

Peter K wrote: Is anyone else nauseated, as I am, to see grotesquely ambitious parents putting their precious tots into ringlet wigs and "traditional" costumes costing many hundreds of dollars and requirin them to perform under the kind of stress that even circus animals are spared these days?

Yes, I am. The wigs and neon-colored costumes are horrible. Even Riverdance and its follow-up atrocities such as Lord of the Dance didn't go to such lengths. That reminds me of a joke the seriousness of which I had occasion to experience recently:

Q: What is the difference between a dancer's mother and a pit bull?
A: Lipstick.

Regarding the thread subject, as a musician performing Irish music, in the future I'll be sure to investigate the background of any group that wants to hire my band. And I urge all others to do the same.

Cheers,
Michael