Perhaps I should have resisted the temptation to poke fun at Jim for his admition that he didn't "have clue about the UK any more" but it was such an easy target.

I have no criticism of Jim's work or methods but great admiration for everything he has done for folk music. If not, I wouldn't be bothering with him.

What now seems a long time ago, I gave an honest answer to a simple question about choice of floor singers. Since then I have been treated to a tirade of abuse flowing out from Miltown Malbay. I have been told my opinions are crass, that I am guilty of dumbing down and promoting crap standards and now that I am all set against raising standards. It makes Jim's complaint of "being shouted (in this case sneered') down by people who don't like your opinions" a bit rich.

I have tried in the past to debate reasonably with Jim but he invariably descends into abuse as soon as he runs out of rational arguments.

I think I am fairly restrained in my responses but it's difficult to be immaculately polite to someone who once compared me to Goebbels.

Still, it's nice to know I'm in good company. This article in Living Tradition and the

response in the letters page make interesting reading.