Jim, I repeat it was in Gillingham in Kent. It was in an upstairs room at a club. It was long enough ago that I cannot remember the name. There was a fee to enter. It was an invitation event and friends of my now late wife and me had invited us. They thought we would enjoy the songstress performing. I do not judge that they had any malevolent intent. There was nothing to alert me (I don't think it was in the local Irish club, I sang and played there not all that long after at the wake of an Irish friend) to it being a dangerous locale.

The song in question was in Gaelic. I cannot therefore identify the words. I was told that it was "the IRA's national anthem". I did not say and did not imply that it was the national anthem of the Republic of Ireland. My hosts, friends of my wife and me warned me about the need to stand for it and of the consequences.

The husband of the songstress later came to our table. He was taking up a collection for the IRA. As soon as the tins came out we (my wife and I) were both warned that to put at least a fiver in the tin was "expected" and that it was wise to comply. I was then warned not to speak to the "gentleman" or to speak while he was at our table because my accent (a fairly typical public school accent)would endanger me. The exchange I cited above took place about her singing - which fortunately left me bereft of speech.

As an aside I know that there are quite a lot of pubs in North Kent where my accent causes potential friction. I mostly don't go to them unless a friend is playing there. And the Medway towns is not "a small town". And having been invited by friends, as I said, it would not have been practical to leave - and indeed as it was at the end of the evening after the main performance and the only plausible reason could have been that I opposed the IRA (which I did and do) it would have been pretty damned stupid to single myself out by doing that and going to get my car in private carpark behind the club, with no security cameras!   You overlook that just up the road in Gravesend the carpark behind a disco nightclub then called the Grove Club gangland beatings were frequently administered and at least one person was shot and killed. Off the mark, Van.

You'll never see me sing "Land of Hope and Glory", Jim. But not to stand for it creates no risk for anyone. And it isn't the dedicated song of a political/terrorist organisation.

I do agree with you on many things Jim, but not on Irish terrorism.

And the funny thing is that I would have reckoned that you would be one of the people who would walk out if right wing groups tried to sing the Horst Wessel song (not often heard) or "Die Lindenbaum" or "Tomorrow belongs to me" - all of which I have heard sung in folk gatherings. Once I would not have. But for the past ten years is has been clear to me that I should, if I hear them again.