Skivee,
Short answer (Guinness and music calls).
Comhaltas, in the early days did a tremendous job of keeping the music alive (to qualify this, the branch members did this by teaching youngsters). Unfortunately the organisation at the top decided that this teaching should aim at entering the young players into competitions, for which they produced a set of rules as to how the music should be played (these rules were not based on the tradition, but rather on the preferences of the organisers).
Competitions may be OK for the winners, but the losers tended to drift away (which they probably would not have done had they been taught to play for the love of it). I know literally dozens of families where children have been through this process and have been lost to the music forever.
The scene is much healthier nowadays with youngsters playing because they want to, not to win badges; largely they have ignored Comhaltas and have learned from local musicians who live in a Comhaltas-free zone.
One of the finest young concertina players in Ireland Edel Fox, still in her teens, now takes over a dozen pupils (no Cap'n, hse didn't enter a Comhaltas competition, he was awarded 'musician of the year' prize by TG4, no competition, test or anything, she was judged the best.
Comhaltas now, thanks to a shoddy leadership, has been marginalised, despite the fact that it's president, a State Senator, has put himself in the position politically to avail the organisation of the largest share of national grants (have you read the report yet Cap'n)?
Jim Carroll
PS I was given the impression by your posting that you somewhat looked down on the local musicians you met over here - if I am wrong about this, I apologise unreservedly.