Thanks, I am talking generally as principle. Music and culture is now an academic subject. We have a University of the Highlands, there is Aberdeen University etc. There are people who now do degrees and post-graduate studies in the meaning of songs to their local culture.   Look at how many times someone on this site is trying to find the origins of works.

So, if we know a true origin for a more recent work. Should that be documented before it becomes mixed up. With the Irish Traditional Music Association having recorded the 'Dark Island' song as part of their culture, then is that not cultural theft when it is funded as an academic database?   I only mean that they knew before they put the information out on the Internet that it's Scottish but because its known to them (and the Irish singer makes a lovely acapella job of it). Surely, they should have put two words 'Scots lament' on the text.   

In general terms I'm more concerned with the more recent songs where he wrote the whole song rather than just words only.   You can have a clear cut copyright work and then somebody says that's an old Irish song because of the style - then you get Trad. credits stuck on or snowballing rumours, if somebody sings it with a broad Irish accent.

A great folk group called the Kilkennys performed 'Dirty Old Town in Inverness' but even though they sung it in the usual broad Irish accent they mentioned that it was not Irish song and said where it was about.