"Did he include a single quote from any of the musicians he was attacking? No."

My reading of Irwin's piece was that it was a reflection on how steamed up the folkies had become over what was, in his opinion, inconsequential. And that this was not without historical precedent in a musical genre that's been riven with factional strife since the year dot. I don't think he set out to create a piece of "investigative journalism" .
Whether or not you agreed with his take, it was, to my eyes, refreshing to see a well-written , wry piece on folk music in the mainstream press that didn't feel the need to apologise for the music or resort to the usual beardy-sandals cliches.