Ireland,

My view is this. If you want to learn to play, as soon as possible get together with others. As soon as possible, play informally at dances, jam sessions, get-togethers with guitar players, banjo players, pipe players and other fiddlers.

Fiddling as a folk-art (read: social). The best of the bunch have always played for dances and developed their rhythm. repitiore and ability to interact with other musicians and dancers.

Ti Jean started as a young man with his father providing the entre.
Morrison, Killoran, Coleman, et. al. played dances and sesiuns.

Even if you can saw through a basic tune, get with others and do it.
People are generally most encouraging unless you are unlucky to run into cliques that are "folkier than thou". Give those a wide berth.

You are entering the gates of a noble and great tradition and when you start to play, you are a part of it.