Irish music has enjoyed a high standard,and has many skilful performers thanks to many teachers and also to comhaltas.
No Jim ,TheTraditional singers function was not that, but as singers and entertainers in their local environment,the singers at the Blaxhall ship did not regard themselves as song carriers,they went down to their pub to have a sing and socialise.
Walter Pardon may have regarded himself as a song carrier,but I think he was THE exception,Walter was preseving the songs consciously BECAUSE he had nowhere to sing them until the folk revival came along,and gave him a platform,
not so The Blaxhall ship singers[BobHart Cyril Poacher etc]or Bob/ RonCopper and their parents[of course Bob later documented his songs],But their songs were their entertainment ,part of their social life.
Before the FIRST WORLD WAR,which decimated english male society,the Village pub had an important function,many singers sang in these pubs,they sang Traditional songs,and music hall songs they did it for enjoyment.Its only people like yourself that have hare brained ideas about song carriers,the singers were too busy enjoying themselves getting inebriated,getting laid and enjoying life,just like[ I hope] young people in the folk revival are doing right now.