The above posts don't address the issue that the word Celtic has come to mean practically any folk music except English, and so the English have been more or less cut out of the process. Toner Quinn made a good point when he mentioned the Transatlantic Sessions - great music but reinforcing the myth that all American folk music is Irish or Scottish-derived. A lot is, a lot isn't, and now we English would like our contribution to be acknowledged and to be invited to the party, please. What we have lacked in England is of course media and public support, coupled with incredulity that England does in fact have any folk music. We all know that it does but it has not been cherished and marketed like Irish, Scottish or American music. I hope and feel that the tide is turning in favour of acceptance, but we still have to convince a lot of sceptics and denialists. As EC says "it's also good music". It's more than that, it's our cultural heritage.

Tradsinger