"Jim,What was the reason for them not liking festivals,did they feel that they didnt fit into a local community ,as well as the best folk clubs?"
Why should you assume this Cap'n?
It seems to me a case of applying a somewhat unpleasant motive to something perfectly reasonable - not an entirely original approach to MacColl and Seeger.
I don't like festivals - I find them impersonal and uncomfortable. The ones I have been to, mainly The National, have been far too curate's eggish and diverse. The only one I thoroughly enjoyed was at Sutton Bonnington the year it went Irish; Junior Crehan, Eamon McGivney, Bobby Casey, The Keane Sisters, Kevin and Ellen Mitchell, Frank Harte, Cathal Goan - lovely stuff.
I realise that not eveybody likes the same type of thing as me, but I much prefer the more intimate, concentrated singing week-ends we have here, Ennystymon (RIP), Roscommon, Sligo, Cork (singing week-end), Frank Harte weekend.
Hand on heart - the big festivals never once made me feel "I didn't fit in" - I just don't like them.   
Snail
"Shirley Collins, and Britta Sweers and Frankie Armstrong and Reg Hall" were not being slagged off; they all made statements which were disagreed with and in each case the statements were challenged, not the individuals concerned - do you think this has been the case with the MacColls
Off to Kerry for a few days to do some research
Enjoy
Jim Carroll