I'm sure someone else MUST have posted/whinged about this some time so my apologies for being reminded of a personal gripe by a recent post by David el Gnomo in the Irish Pub songs thread.

From a random hit on Google

….the most popular of Irish traditional, drinking and folk songs! ... Dirty Old Town Sung by The Pogues and others.

Now 'Dirty Old Town' is about Salford, the place where Ewan MacColl was brought up.
It's possible that the words "smelled a Spring on the Salford wind" were changed to "smelled a spring on the smoky wind" because Salford council were a tad upset at the portrayal of their city but it doesn't make it an Irish song 'cos The Dubliners recorded it.

Similarly, the lyrics of Seth Davy (even including the title!) written by Liverpudlian Glyn Hughes were radically altered on recordings to remove any reference to local landmarks and the song's origin in Liverpool and described as "An Irish folk song recorded by Danny Doyle and by The Dubliners" on one Irish music site.

And not to mention …….

"Irish Folksongs Lyrics - AND THE BAND PLAYED WALTZING MATILDA Lyrics"
From a lyrics download webpage

Or even from….
"Traditional Irish Music
Irish Songs With Chords & Lyrics"

"The Pub with no Beer" with its lyrics so evocative of the Irish countryside

"It's lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the camp fire at night where the wild dingos call"

There are many wonderful traditional (and modern) Irish folk songs without this surely?

Don't get me started on that ubiquitous prefix 'Celtic' either :)