Richard, for chrissake why shouldn't you feel comfortable singing The wind that Shakes the barley cos you've got a public school accent?

Patrick Pearse himself taught in private school. Do you think he sounded like muck farmer from the back of beyond. do you think a Chinese person would catch the difference in accent between you and christy moore? Believe you me - most French and german people wouldn't. Any more than you would detect the differences between the various departments of France and the way they speak.

Anyway - if thy right eye offend thee - pluck it out. Try and do it in another accent. If Martin carthy and Mike waterson went about talking in the accents they sing in, they'd never get the shopping done!

And I'm damn certain you could make as good a stab at it as martin simpson and bellowhead. If only for the reason that you care about what the song has to say.