I think maybe alanabit has a point.

context is everything. I wonder if friends of President McKinley were upset when all these string bands were going round doing jaunty little tunes like solid Gone and white House Blues.

Context is everything. Some of the Irish rebel songs are extraordinarily beautiful. Many of the classic recordings that we still listen to came from the 1960's when a shot in anger had not been fired for years.

During the 1970's when the shit had really hit the fan and there were bombs going off all over Ireland and England, and each side was engaged in murder - it wasn't something that fitted easily into English folk clubs. doubtless over in Ireland and in some communist clubs in England the rebel songs were still being sung, and indeed for the combatants gained fresh poignancy.

I am frequently amused by Irish/Americans gleeful assumption that the rebel songs will upset their English listeners. Perhaps a few thin skinned people will be upset about the hoary old tales of English misdeeds, but I have probably had more requests to play rebel songs from ex English soldiers, and soldiers in Irish regiments of the English army than any other quarter. the english soldiery really took to the rebel songs.

Many Irish centres spell it out. No rebel songs of any kind, when you walk through the door with your guitar.