The Star Club (The Communist Club) in the 1970's on the Ringway in Brum had a folk club attached with very tradddy outlook and lots of Irish guys used to hang out there. Mick Hikpkess of drowsy Maggie - the late Dave Philips - Tommy Dempsey and of course the late Aiden Ford and his brother.

Ian Campbell (another Brummy folksinger) had been a communist party member and he told me that MI5 or someone similar used to tap his phone.