The most comprehensive summary of the term 'Ballad' (traditional, popular, English and Scottish etc) I have come across is to be found in Funk and Wagnall's 'Standard Dictionary of Folklore' (approx 5 pages worth).
'The Ballad Boom' a.k.a 'the time of the singing pullovers' certainly helped to form the present day concept of the term here in Ireland.
The situation has not been helped by Comhaltas's (non) definition which seems to applied to anything old and comes with a tune attached, (as long as it's in Irish)! The confusion has been added to by the fact that the song sheets sold by Travellers around the fairs and markets right into the 1950s were also referred to as ballads.
Having said this, 50 plus Child Ballads have been sound-recorded from traditional singers, including such gems as 'Young Hunting', 'The Maid and the Palmer', The Suffolk Miracle, Lamkin, 'The Demon Lover', 'Edward', 'Lord Randall', Johnny Scot' and 'The Outlandish Knight'. Up to 20 years ago you coldn't throw a stone here in West Clare without hitting 'Lord Lovell'.
As with Scotland, Travellers have proved the most fruitful source by far for traditional ballads.
Jim Carroll
Irish