Precisely Cluin. Thats what I meant when I clumsily said "Twiddley Dee" music. I did not mean to be disparaging to traditional Irish tunes because I love them and can listen to them for hours.

BUT where I was trying to come from was from the perspective of the listening public/a pubs clientel etc. I am also putting myself in the shoes of the English public I have talked to and witnessed at festivals all over England especially on the 'fringe'and mainly in pubs - and not typical sessions in a Dublin pub.
I have been to Dublin and other parts of Ireland and would agree that what you will find is mostly musician sessions,often of a very high standard indeed ( even some sessions churned out endlessly for English and American tourists!).

I apologise for not making it clearer in my last posting but I really was trying to convey the impression and mind set of Joe public. Sometimes we can become so insular and clique that we lose or don't care about what others think about or perceive of our music. Whilst we might love it to bits and become consumed in a session of music you have to maintain the interest of Joe public if that is what you are there for.

Attention spans soon waine if not kept engaged and interested and if not they will quickly turn their backs and talk amongst themselves.
That's all I was saying. It is indeed "a different view from the outside"(thanks Cluin)

And yes GUEST,meself If you are providing free entertainment it is only fair that you don't have to buy loads of drinks and should get one or even two free drinks from the bar and maybe some free sandwiches or even hot pork pies and mushy peas (in Yorkshire.)

The main gripe I have heard from publicans is directed at mainly wholly musician sessions where they are not paid to "perform" to an audience but take over a room and play just to themselves and do not welcome intrusion from strangers.
Of such gatherings a Yorkshire publican and good friend of mine very recently said (quote) "They buy bugger all at the bar and I'm seriously considering whether it is worth reserving that room for them every sunday night"

Declan, there is nothing wrong with singing Athen Ry if you are there to entertain and the 'public' askes for it.

What is this current snobbery and disdain about doing songs that are emotional, heart-felt and raise the hairs at the back of the neck of Mr Joe Public when they are sung. They love them - what's wrong with that?
They will last much longer and still be in demand long after the obscura that many people feel inclined to sing today.
You might think that such songs are sung too often and are over done but how else do songs survive from one generation to another and keep the tradition going?
What can be wrong with "crowd pleaser" songs - we are all in the entertainment industry in some shape or form - aren't we?