irishenglish, I think all you (perhaps) need to know is that "what is folk" (and what is a "folk song", etc." range from tight traditional ones like the 1954 one to the horses on (all music is folk music, I ain't never heard no horse sing a song). The views of people vary within this range and individuals can believe their own outlook is the only correct one.

When it comes to going to a folk club, I think you will find some are more open than others but they will have their own "what is folk?" limits and perhaps bias (eg. the last event with singing I looked in on was all contemporary stuff sung in "American" accents. It might well have been OK and they seemed a frienfly bunch, but I'd wouldn't have been sure if a trad English song would have been appreciated).

I think as a listener stumbling in somewhere, you simply decide whether what is on offer is to your taste or not. If it is, all well and good - enjoy it. If it isn't, wish them well but try somewhere else. As a participant, I think it can be an idea to work or find out what might fit in for the night as well as the above.

I think the same pretty much goes for sessions and theirs certainly no point in getting upset that my "Rakish Paddy" wasn't appreciated amongst the morris type players I was sitting with, that my "Winster Gallop" attracted strange looks in the Irish do I was at...