I never mentioned whether the organiser was male or female[JimLad].neither did I mention what country it happened in.
I am English,my grandfather was Irish,my grandmother was half german,the other grandparents were english.
I have lived in Ireland for seventeen years.
Ihave always included in my repertoire songs that I like whether they be English, Irish ,Scottish,or occassionally American[BuffaloSkinners].
The organiser was Irish[and has lived in the area less time than myself]and wanted me to sing English folksongs not Irish,I suspect he /she,has the belief that people should sing songs from where they come from,Iam trying to be charitable assuming the best not the worst[that nobody apart from Irish people should sing Irish songs].
I believe that when choosing a song,you choose it firstly because you like it,whether its Irish, scottish, english.
the artist has a right to decide his own repertoire.
Finally how would an Irishman like to be told by an Englishman,that he should only sing Irish songs.
As I say although I am nominally english[like most english people,Iam a mix of Irish and other].