I know I gripe a lot on this forum - it's not because I'm a crabby old git, I'm not, but out of love for the music and the sheer frustration in seeing it work so well here in Ireland and not in my native UK.
So - a modest proposal - as the man from Christchurch once wrote.
In 1973 a local piper, Willie Clancy from here in Miltown Malbay died at quite an early age. Instead of putting up a statue or a plaque and then forgetting him, a handful of locals got together and organised a school, mainly for pipers, but other instruments included.
This year, on the first Monday in July the 38th annual week-long Willie Clancy Summer School will take place; thousands of people from all over the world will converge on this one-street town to play music, to sing, to attend lectures, recitals and the giant concert on the Saturday. Over a thousand of them will attend classes in all the traditional istruments given by some of the finest musicians in Ireland. In the early days it was possible to get a seat in the handful of bars where the action took place - nowadays you have to queue up to get into town and all the bars are packed solid. The Willie Clancy Summer School not only provides a wonderful week of music and song, but has been a major influence in the upturn in the fortunes of traditional music in Ireland (and of the town - whenever we are away and tell people where we live they invariably say "Oh yes, the home of traditional Irish music") It has also inspired several dozens of similar events throughout Ireland, some dedicated to local musicians and singers (Joe Heaney, The Russell family, Joe Cooley, Mrs Crotty, Mrs Galvin....)
It strikes me that it is not beyond the bounds of possibilty to organise similar events in the UK located in the home place of say Sam Larner (Winterton), Harry Cox, (Catfield/Potter Heigham), Walter Pardon (Knapton), Charlie Wills (Ryall, Dorset), Phil Tanner, (Llangennith), George Maynard, (Copthorn), Ned Adams/Johnny Doughty (Brighton and Hastings).... dozens of them well worth honouring for their contribution to folk song. It doesn't have to be a specific singer - a Brigg Fair festival/weekend, whatever sounds good to me; something that a town or village could identify with.
It doesn't have to be ambitious, just a handful of enthusiasts for a start would do it. Involve the locals, family members if possible ( a must in my opinion), try for some local sponsorship - give it some academic cred. with a couple of talks (nothing heavy) and you might even attract some arts council money.
I wouldn't dream of speaking for them but I'm sure that some of the national figures in folk music would donate their time to getting such a project started - the people I worked with in the UK would and often did for similar causes.
The main thing, I think would be not to try to please all of the people all of the time - specialise, if possible around the singer's repertoire.
The success of The Willie Clancy Summer School has been that in spite of pressures from all sides it has never compromised - result - 38 wonderful schools and wall-to-wall music in this area throughout the year (including a huge bunch of youngsters, many of whom were taught by pupils of the early Clancy Schools) and a knock-on effect throughout Ireland.
Worth considering I wonder? The very least you could acheive is a pleasant week-end in the company of fellow enthusiasts; in my experience, most folkies are social animals and make pleasant companions - even the ones with smelly feet and halitosis.
Jim Carroll