'Folk music Peter is NOT about people making money from it. If that is your metric then if in Ireland best start in on "Country & Western", you will enjoy a far better chance of success.

For the vast majority who are interested in "Folk music" IT IS an interest and a hobby and IN THESE CURRENT TIMES interests and hobbies do not deserve state support. '

That's not my angle and I never suggested it was. Support for making recordings works in many ways, making music available, giving it circulation etc etc. It doesn't only support the musician, it ensures music is there for the listener, which I would suggest is important during the current lockdown, contrary to what you seem to think.#

The Arts Council is also, for example, supporting an initiative by Na Piobairi Uilleann, commissioning pipers to make videos during lockdown that are posted on social media and reaching a considerable audience. It's keeping music out there for those interested and gives, musicians the opportunity to play and have an audience. You may not think that important, a lot of people do.

And for feck's sake let's the old Country and Irish cliché out of it. Some people love that, so what?