Firstly, I won't comment on Irish politics, as it is hugely complex and I don't know enough about it not to be hated by everyone if I even try!

However, I do know about singing. I don't think it is possible to be totally 'objective' about the songs you choose to sing. (On a practical level, songs must suit your voice, etc) More importantly, and relevantly, songs should fit in with your own world-view somehow, otherwise they have no meaning and no feeling - without meaning for the individual, it all becomes mechanical, and you are singing songs ONLY to keep a tradition going, and not for enjoyment, which is what music is about after all.

A 'tradition' is simply what has happened over the years, and the way that things have developed. Many of the songs we consider 'traditional' have of course changed from whatever their original form might have been, and the point is that traditions are still developing and changing. We cannot (and should not) expect folk music to stagnate - with too much attention paid to keeping the tradtion, and too little paid to actually having fun with the music, then beautiful songs will become dusty museum pieces, which no-one wants to sing or play for fear of being criticised for 'doing it wrong'.

Just some thoughts. jayohjo