I was responding to this- "An overdose of education with an underdose of humility is one of the most dangerous trends in the world today. Some things are so intangible that to place an existing definition on them using techniques developed for use elsewhere frequently only serves to further obscure them.

A tradition is like a river, constantly flowing and changing. To take a bucketful of water from that river and then claim that you can use it to construct a comprehensive and accurate description of rivers is absurd. The best we can claim is that it is representative of one particular part of one particular river at the precise moment when we dipped in the bucket and that we can only use it to construct a useful *theory* of rivers which must be kept open to change as more evidence becomes available. *That* is scientific. "

When Gaughan takes his bucket full and then sorts it out and cagegorizes it (eliminating songs he sees as unfit) he is essentially claiming that he can and should "construct a comprehensive and accurate description of rivers" prior to using the music in the bucket. Remember he said- "description of rivers is absurd" IMHO he would be more true to his concept if he dipped his bucket into the mainstream and used all he found therein equally as all treasures are equal.

To the best of my knowledge Gaughan has recorded many nationalistic songs of solidarity but has never recorded any from the bucket which are loyalist,orange, or unionist in reference to the Isle of Ireland.

If one truly believed in the inability to define one would not be able to categorize and use materials as selectivly as he does in a censorial manner. Gaughan works very hard to make sure he obscures the traditions which I have referenced by keeping them from his recordings.

Conrad