Mick, would you please elaborate on your statement that "This whole idea of "traditional" is a load of bollox"? I'm not looking for an argument here; I just don't understand which idea of trad you're referring to, and why you think it's bollox.

Many on this forum are knowledgeable about Irish music, and I believe I know a fair bit, having studied and played it for some 20 years. It should be possible to have a discussion that attempts to draw distinctions between, say, Michael Coleman and Enya, or between The Chieftains and The Pogues, and to define these distinctions in terms of which of these musicians (all Irish) are more traditional (once we've defined what that means).

It's been said about art and pornography that "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it". But in the case of art, specifically music, it should be possible to make measurement of its quality and merit. It can't all just be about "whatever you like", can it?

Cheers,
Michael