I used to go to folk clubs to listen to folk songs - in those days they did what they said on the tin.
When that ceased and I was no longer able to choose what I paid for, I stopped going and so did thousands of others - Ireland, where I now live, has never really had a strong club scene
The youngsters in Ireland are now taking traditional music up with a vengeance and producing some of the finest musicians I can ever remember hearing - this has guaranteed that it has a future for at least another couple of generations.
This is largely due to the fact that a number of dedicated people have established a foundation that does what it says on the tin - whatever the participants decide to do with it, that foundation will remain in the form of archives, recordings publications and music schools like the annual Willie Clancy Summer School (the 45th is due to take place in the first week in July)
There's a valuable lesson in that if someone cares to learn from it.
Jim Carroll