"I was merely noting that a non-musician cannot speak on behalf of musicians and especially how they feel about blow-ins. "
Sorry, Clare is a democracy where everybody is free to express an opinion on anything they choose - even 'blow-ins'. Might not suit everybody, but there it is.
As for my being a blow-in; works the same way I'm afraid; everybody gets to say what they think around here - doesn't it work that way where you live?
I am not 'speaking for' anybody, I'm expressing my own opinion, nothing more (where have I suggested that I'm speaking for anybody other than me - don't really expect a reply to this).
I have said before; I'm rather proud of choosing to live in Clare rather than it being an accident of birth.
Not that it has anything to do with anything; I'm also rather proud of the part my wife and I have played in preserving and making available Irish music and song to anybody interested - look it up on the Irish Traditional Music Archive and The British Library site and the numerous albums of field recordings we've issued (and before you suggest otherwise - all proceeds from the albums are donated in full to ITMA).
I'll be prouder still when we complete the vistors traditional music centre archive and all our thirty-odd years worth of recordings goes onto the web (see OAC - Oidhreacth an Chláir website).
Now let's see yours?
By the way, if it's my (and many other's) attitude to bodhrans that has rattled your particular cage, I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you on open forum - my favourite subject!!
Jim Carroll