Kenny - now you really have left me in tears - not only are the bars closed but those running them are no longer with us (I suppose ou know Young Jim Marrinan died a little after Noreen was immobilized by a stroke)
Still humming with music here - more than ever in fact

"Its folk music Jim but not as we know it"
Being involved in folk song on many levels, I haven't got a clue what that means I'm afraid Malcolm - I'm basically a singer-turned researcher
I was drawn into the scene because I liked what I heard and eventually wanted to be part of it
When I lifted the corner to see what was underneath I found it teeming with life and social history - two levels of deep enjoyment for the price of one
I sat through several local history classes here before the Dreaded lurgi closed them and found there were about a dozen songs I was aware of that touched on the subject matter, local murders, drownings, shipwrecks, women disputing being married off, evictions, land wars, cattle rustling... both part of my two interests
I really can't see how what has gradually happened to the folk scene has come anywhere near replacing that in either enjoyment or intellectual stimulation
Whe began to lose our   clubs when they forgot what folk songs were and how unique and important they were
We can alwas try karaoke if all we want to do is blast out a few songs, but it seems a little..... well... destructive to steal the identity of such an important aspect of our history and culture
Sorry if that upsets some people (as I secretly hope it will)
Jim