I don't find my generalization about 'drunken Irish Americans'
being the biggest fans of rebel songs to be invalidated by the single
anecdotal counter-example above.

Since my 'anecdotes' consist of spending quite a few Saturday
nights in the O'Something Irish Pub with a cabaret license in a good
dozen or so American cities, a plate of doubtful Irish stew (why
is the stew always doubtful in such places?) in front of me and
four or five guys, sometimes with the requisite Aran sweaters (even
in summer, in Washington DC) up on stage doing the standards.

So I stand by my assertion: as often as not the songs are used to
pander to ill-educated and badly misplaced feelings of loyalty to
something which isn't even properly known to the audiences before
which they're most often played.

Now where did I leave my green felt fedora?