Howard, I am not sure there's a need for Jack to defend himself. I just think he shows a lack of knowledge of the situation here when he asks why the country 'got things so horribly wrong'.

I don't think the country got things 'horribly wrong'. There are singers circles, singing festivals and all sorts of places where songs are sung and plenty of venues where music is played in various formats. Things are very much alive and well.

I can think of one venue describing itself as a 'folkclub' within a reasonable distance from where I live, a club in Sixmilebridge.

But I am more at the traditional music end of things, perhaps I live sheltered from anything 'folk'.