Patriot was speaking for himself- i was agreeing with him/her & adding that there was very little Irish music in most of the SW coast when I was there, which suited me financially of course!
I know there are lots of musicians of all ages in Ireland, but 'sessions' are still in a minority, and there is little doubt what the majority of IRISH people prefer- it may not be what you would like, or me for that matter, but I just don't accept that Ireland is a lost world of music, where Iarla Leonard & Rita Gallagher are the favourite singers- no, it's Nathan Carter & Lisa Ann McHugh.
We ran a B&B and it was rather disappointing to have to tell guests that there were hardly any traditional sessions in the area, the best run by ex folkie English and German musicians! It's a bit better now, but it's still a minority interest.

I've been back to West Cork in the past few years, and as for your asking if I'd been in Ireland recently, I lived in Leitrim for 9 years & ran just such a singing session as you mention in a receptive pub, but C & I in this 'traditional' region (and also Fermanagh, where I spent a year ) is still by far the most popular music.
Getting back to the subject, there is certainly a lot more interest in either kind of pub music than in Scotland