Dick, I expressed an opinion ("I'd argue that...") which is shared by many people who play and/or enjoy Irish music. Full-set pipes with drones and regs do indeed play harmony but it is relatively spare compared to that supplied by strummers (and, I'd argue, a damn sight more idiomatic). My point was that the tunes themselves contain harmony that works in your mind's ear. I didn't say harmony should be eschewed completely, did I ("IF at all..."). In fact I'm not a purist - I love bands like Patrick Street, De Dannan, the Bothies, Planxty etc. whose harmony playing adds a new (and, to me, valid) dimension to Irish tunes. But when I listen to them I'm listening to bands, not session playing. And I could listen to the pipes all night. As for Carolan, we have no clue as to what harmony might have accompanied his tunes. I don't think we have a single passed-down example. We have the licence to play around with 'em to our hearts' content. But they are not mainstream session tunes in the way that jigs and reels are, and it was the latter that I was addressing.

I'm off to drink beer harmoniously and play tunes, harmoniously or not, right now - see ya later! :-)