Lots of very interesting comments from eveyone. The thought of taking some kind of legal or very "public" revenge had never crossed our minds, the series of events having saddened us to the point where we were completely immobilised for a time. Yes, there are plenty of slander and libel laws here in France, but we couldn't prove that the person running Irish music sessions was badmouthing us, even though we knew very well it was them, what they were saying, etc., etc. Forgot to mention the other insidious thing that he did: waited until the sessions were really popular, then suddenly took his friends elsewhere and badmouthed the bar owner! So, we weren't the only ones. . .

All we wanted to do when we started the folk club was to provide an alternative for people who like folk music but weren't interested in dancing, were more of a "listening" audience and who might have been attracted to the idea of trying out performing and/or improving their skills on stage. We didn't have the intention of competing with anyone else's events, but that was the way it was interpreted, unfortunately.

The professional musician whom we ran up against at the Giboulées meeting came right out and said we were trying to steal their audience. He was under the impression that we were professional musicians (which we are not) and as soon as the question of allowing us a bit of money to keep the club going until it could stand on its own and break even, he hit the roof because he assumed other professionals were getting money that he wasn't getting. The saddest thing about that whole business is that his son, who is a talented uilleann piper, has picked up his father's attitude, though he certainly never hesitated to drop by---not to play, but to leave fliers about their next gig (elsewhere of course) on folk club nights.

Keith, I think we have pretty much done as you suggested in finding kindred spirits in our storyteller friends and the people who come to listen to them. I guess all we have to do now is develop the idea. . . By the way, I hope you are well and your job is still secure.

cheers,

Auxiris