"The big difference between English and Irish music is that the English tradition is a broken one."

As regards recreational instrumental music, I think this is incontovertible. Some parts of English music survived, notably Northumbrian. And the Gypsy tradition preserved some- though not until recently much explored.

"It was lost and then made up. It's sad."

I think most people would agree that the loss of, say, Lancashire bagpiping is incredibly sad. The playing styles of the post- 70s revival of English instrumental music doesn't sound much like old recordings I've heard. Though I'd love to be corrected.

"It's quite possible that English music could well have been as good as Irish music, and I'm certain that English music heavily influenced Irish music in a positive way."

Most people would agree that when the English instrumental tradition was living, there was a great deal of cross- fertilisation between that and other neighboring traditions. The repertoire of common tunes attests this.

"But it was lost and that's that. And I'd rather you cried about it than tried to revive it with hopelessly shallow middle class earnestness"

This is a statement of opinion. The Irish style of playing has changed radically over the years, at least as evidenced by old recordings- particularly as regards accompaniment. But its change has been evolutionary rather than recreation.

Middle- class or classless, the tone of the early revival was definitely earnest. Nobody on the other hand could accuse the following generation of being over- earnest. But in the absence of continuity, much is necessarily recreated - the "made up" that some people have taken exception to.