Again, the self-styled authorities of Irish music are attempting to denegrate honest talent with specious comparisons to the cheese-cake ladies of game shows. Ireland abounds with great talent and it has the kind of diversity that can allow for both the Celtic Woman, Mary Black, Micheal Coleman, Mairead Nesbitt, James Morrison, Margaret Barry, Enya, Clannad and many beautiful forms of Irish expression. To claim that any one performer personifies traditional Irish music over another is sophistry and snobbery. They are all Irish performers and damn good at what they do, that's why we are here talking about them.

The idea of the insinuation that Mairead Nesbitt only got where she was because of Dunal Lunny in bed is stupid.

There seems to be an innate prejudice by so-called traditionalists against any group that has a high production value, pleasing to the eye and mass audiences, and the ability to sing well and make music that moves many people who are not "folkies". This is really phony.

I would like to remind these self-styled "authorities" that they are on Mudcat which means there are many of us who have studied Irish music and that they don't have all the answers, just opinions.

Here's why the CW are good. They have lovely vocal production, clear voices, musicality and a great musical director. They don't reek of the barroom either. (This cliche of the drunken Irish singer is most offensive to Irish people). They blend extremely well and although they may not have the rugged sound of a field recording, they have their own brand of energy, otherwise they would not excite their audience in the way that they do.
I have heard many Irish musicians and some tend toward being heavy-handed, grating,
and incomprehensible in singing. I have heard also Irish musicians who lilt, carry a song with grace and get the story across in an either dramatic or humorous vein. Some Irish musicians can soar with their virtuosity on instruments..Willie Clancy's pipes, the Sligo styles of Morrison, Killoran, and Coleman, the singing of McCormack and Patterson who brought the Irish tenor into a special style recognized around the world, the new crop such as Kevin Burke, Donegal's Mairead and Frankie Gavin and probably many not known in the new ranks from the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.

My point: get off this "I-know-more-about-Irish-trad-than-you-do" and learn to appreciate the variety of talent in Irish music.

Frank Hamilton