The metronome was invented and patented by the German inventor, Johann Nepomuk Mälzel (August 15, 1772 - July 21, 1838) in 1816, on the suggestion of composer Ludwig van Beethoven .
Beethoven was by this time completely deaf and died in 1827,BEETHOVEN LIST AND BERLOZ of course were well known composers of Irish Dance music.
I stated,that Metronomes would be of use as a diagnostic tool.
it is not a question of standing on ones own feet,its a question of not pissing off other people,by consistently speeding up the tunes when they have been started at a slower speed,it is all very well talking about interacting with other people,but the speedsters are not interacting,they are in their own world they are not listening[and in my experience,they persist with this cloth eared attitude],if they went away and listened to a metronome and noted where they speeded up,in other words used the Metronome as a diagnostic tool ,they might sort their rhythym problems out .,they might the start listening to other people.