So then your opinion is you wouldn't be opposed to banning songs of the Orange Order that are built on older trad tunes? Or would you prefer to ban Irish rebel songs built on older trad songs?

Actually, countess richard, I admire your disdain for the far right folks that attempt to hijack the trad music for their xenophobic purposes. The neo nazi bigots tried and continue to try, to do that with "Celtic" music. But it appears to me that you want to throw the baby out with the bath water. It seems to me to be admirable to want to retain and revive ones heritage. It seems to me that GB needs to come to grips with its future. If the Scots have their own parliament, why not the English? I admit to being a Yank and not intimately familiar with the issues, but that is what it appears to me. Seems to me that the idea of a Confederation is a sound one. I stand prepared to hear the thoughts of my friends from the other side of the pond on the issue. I imagine it will continue to be an interesting thread.

As to the song, it expresses a point of view. It does it in a catchy way, and is enjoyable to listen to. Despite the fact that xenophobes are trying to hijack it, it isn't of itself, a song that appears to project that point of view.

All the best,

Mick