I am not begrudging anybody, I am giving my opinion, that the irish traditional music scene in ireland is not as rosy as you portray, anmd that is partly because of the input of CCE.
My abilty and your lack of ability is irrelevant to the entitlement to have an opinion, lets face it Jim you have no competence as a musician, yet you still feel free to give your opinions, the fact that you can produce a few examples of very good players proves nothing.
CCE receives massive financial assistance from the irish government
Its current Director General is Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú. it has more than 400 branches worldwide, in Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
   "CCE hardly features in today's upturn"
what a ridiculous statement, typical uninformed claptrap, the national fleadh and all the regional fleadhs attract thousands of musicians who play in a competitive style to become a champion,CCE attracts thousands of people who go there to make music in sessions , CCE closed down the clontarf branch and tried to prevent musicians from making music in A DICTATORIAL STALINIST FASHION
these are facts, not UNINFORMED opinion, to say that this has no or little effect on the irish trad music scene is inaccurate, AND WELL YOU KNOW IT.
You are a person who cannot play any traditional instrument to any degree of competence ,you have a vested interest in promoting tradtional music collections including your own,and talking up the irish trad scene, the truth of the matter is that country and irish and country and western is more popular in IRELAND
I believe that the irish music scene is not as healthy as your portrayal,
i have NOT said that it does not contain some very good players of all ages chris droney edel fox, noel hill, enda scahill and a lot more THEY ARE VERY GOOD PLAYERS, but it also contains a lot of CCE trained players who play with a competitive attitude, in CCE homegoeonised style, and who do not play in any known regional style., These are facts
Game, set and match, GO OFF AND PLAY IN YOUR FOLK MUSEUM.