Cap'n,
Thank you for providing me with exactly the example I was talking about.
I don't know if you have ever visited Doolin; it's half an hours drive north of here.
When we first went there 'Doolin' it didn't exist as a town, it was a collection of small houses and a pub on Doolin Point; it was then called Fisherstreet,.
There were three noted musicians there, the Russell brothers, Packie (one of the finest concertina players in Ireland), Gussie (an excellent flute player) and Micho; they played regularly at O'Connor's pub with a couple of other locals; lovely music and a regular crowd of listeners.
Soon afterwards it began to attract tourists, who eventually arrived in droves armed with guitars, banjos, bodhrans, 12 string Kalashnikovs, spoons, kazoos – you name it they brought it. In a short time the locals were edged out and the visitors took over.
The last time we saw Packie he was sitting quietly in the corner with half a dozen pints bought by the visitors, plastered and not playing. He died shortly afterwards
When we last visited O'Connor's a few years ago, as we drew out of the car park a coach was pulling in, crammed with ten-gallon hats and 12 guitars.
It is now somewhat like lady's day at Ascot; a place to go to be seen and heard, certainly not to listen to good traditional music.
Doolin itself is a huge, sprawling theme park of hostels, holiday homes and visitors shops.
If this is what you have in mind for Irish music, or rural Ireland – please close the door as you leave.
Jim Carroll