I feel that the 'folk scene' is so desperate to have young musicians involved that discrimination goes out of the window as soon as 'young' is mentioned.

Discrimination is out of the window as far as age is concerned. They aren't particularly young. Kerfuffle (under 23) might be regarded as young.

The fact is they have been around ages, so whilst it might look like EMI engineered instant success to some people, it isn't really.

I remember being asked to book them four or five years ago (orginally as a duo), the first record was acclaimed back in 2005 and The Bairns has been licensed to EMI in order to get wider distribution. Yes, that will put them under the promotion of the EMI people but that was theirs and EMI's decision - I cannot see what harm it does.