Hello Barbara,
I would really love to be wrong on this one, but whenever I follow threads like this I am left with the impression of a small handful of devotees and a larger number of pop wannabes using the clubs as a comfort blanket for not having made it big time.
I'm not really cynical; I heard enough good singing and attended enough good clubs to keep me interested till I run out of puff, and chose out in order to do other things.
It's enough for me to have been able to spend time with Walter Pardon, Tom Lenihan, Mikeen McCarthy, Mary Delaney and all those other lovely people who left their fingerprints over our lives. It's a nice thought that people will have access to their singing in the future.
Nowadays we have excellent wall-to-wall traditional music played by musicians across the generations, which means it will be listened to long after we're gone.
There is some (not enough, for my taste) excellent singing here from people who respect and enjoy the songs enough to put in the effort.
Didn't get that in my last few experiences in the UK - sorry.
Not sure what you mean by "within the context of the folk scene generally, rather than just the clubs."
Meself;
"The Kingdom" refers to the Kingdom of Kerry, where the song came from (composed by Siggerson Clifford of Cahersiven).
Jim Carroll