"organizations like Comhaltas are not democracies. They are corporations"

NOT!

I believe Comhaltas is a non profit or at least in all appearances it is, though being a member of the Boston branch I'm not sure of the legal foundations outside the US.

It relies on private & public funding, private & public sweat & membership fees!
As such their books, polices, discissions, etc. should be at the very least be open & public to the membership if not to to their communities.

Barry