How is it then Suibhne that every time someone mentions Ewan MacColl someone like yourself comes along to try and pull down his achievements and sneer at him

I think it's more a matter of when anyone dares offer even the slightest critique of certain aspects of MacColl's work it becomes instant heresy and the usual fatwas are handed out. My opinion, for what it's worth, is based opn a lifelong love of MacColl as a singer of Traditional Folk Song & Ballad and when I actually got to see him being subject to the most dire self-penned songs with respect of his self-appointed status as political ideaolgue. Not that I wasn't involved with that struggle myself at the time - or else the music that was a part of it whilst the rest of Folk Scene was digging fecking Graceland - just that wasn't what MacColl was a master of. And he was a master of his craft - make no mistake about that. But Jim would even deny me that opinion! It's a madhouse!