Mary Garvey,
I too love those songs, I do not think Eric is taking the Michael out of the songs or stating a dislike for them, I visited the fair Emerald Isle, incidentally, home of my great grandmother. We did the tourist thing and visited Waterford, Tralee, Cashel, Doolin and dear old Blarney in the Ring of Kerry. Blarney was the plastic paddy town to me. I cringed at the piped music in every shop and pub and EVERYTHING seemed to be green! It was a place for tourists, and I think this is what Eric is writing about. In England, for me it would be Blackpool (though I love the place myself!) and in Cornwall, I would give that honour to Newquay.
Cheers Lucy