There is a great deal to discuss about the background of traditional music, why it was what it was, why and where it was played
Many of the Irish tunes have great stories attached to them; for instance:

The late piper and concertina player, Tom McCarthy, told us the story of how 'The Bank of Turf' got its name
Billy Clifford, the Kerry flute player heard Padraig O'Keefe playing the tune at a session and desperately wanted to learn it
After a lot of effort and a few pints, Padraig finally agreed that, if Billy met him in the bog where he was cutting turf, the following day, he would be given it.
Clifford duel turned up next day to find O'Keefe had scrawled the notes of the tune into the side of the wet bog - when asked its name, O'Keefe replied with a grin, "The Bank of Turf"

That's well worth telling at any session if you can get people's attention
Tom McCarthy and his friend and fellow Clare-man, fiddler, Bobby used to regale audiences at the singers Club with such stories

Masterly fiddle Kevin Burke is a superb storyteller if you can get him in the mood
This sort of thing really is part of the music we are involved in
Jim Carroll