Back to those Eric Bogle songs: depends how they are sung: done well they are fine, but that's probably less that 20% of the attempts you hear.
Danny Boy: I much prefer the different words to the same tune: In Derry Vale.
Wild Mountain Thyme: gets overdone, and annoys me when they leave out the 4h verse.
Wild Rover; the fines system at Middle bar Singers has been lifted as of several years ago: one poor guy had been there all week, never singing, then was cajoled into singing on the last day: "only one songs I know" - you got it - WR!!
"Fields of Athenry" - now this really did rattle/shock me: I sang it in a FOLK session in Scotland and 3 people first gave me the long hard stare, then a nod to each other, then walked out: and this in a FOLK session. Why? They were Rangers supporters and this song is associated now with Celtic football club, their big rivals. Sectarianism and bigotry has absolutely no place in folk music!