I'm familiar enough with the NY Irish music scene, from purist trad, to punk, to polka. The problem isn't with the politics of the NY Irish music community. Yes, the punk and rock scene is more progressive of the trad scene, but that doesn't mean that there are no politically progressive Irish scensters by a long shot, since many of the musicians and punters alike enjoy more than the trad genre. The younger the musicians and punters, the more likely they are to be politically progressive regarding issues deemed more important to the world by His High Holiness Otway.   Who in my experience here on Mudcat, is a nutcase.