Sam
Thank you for your gracious response - if I have caused you any embarrassment, please accept my apology, it really wasn't my intention.
I totally agree with you about these recordings not being museum pieces, which is one of the reasons I reacted the way I did.
Time and again we have come up against not being able use locked away archived material, unreachable unless you live within easy reach of where it is housed and are able to spend endless hours listening to it, and even then, the limited access you have to it devalues it tremendously.
One of the reasons all of these establishments give for limited access is that they feel they are not prepared to risk abusing the rights of the original informant by risking misuse of their songs, stories and music - hence, closed shop!!
I'm not sure if people are aware exactly how much valuable (artistically) material lies locked away and virtually unusable in these litle Fort Knoxs.
This is why we have endevoured to put as much as we have on line, and are grateful to our County Library for allowing us to do so.
What they are in the process of preparing represents less than a quarter of our work; they have expresses an interest in our storytelling, instrumental and Traveller (non-Clare) stuff - we'll have to see whether they live up to it their intention to use it, which is why I am so sensitive about not rocking that particular boat at the present time.
I've always been happy to pass on whatever we have to whoever is interested, for learning, enjoyment and as illustrations for talks etc., - feel free to include yourself in that, but only as long as the actual recordings remain untampered with.
As I say, sorry if i have caused any embarrassment
Jim Carroll
B.T.W.
My comment on 'What Will We Do' was aimed at the dirge some singers managed to turn it into when they recorded it - can't do anything about that, nor would I want to, but it doesn't prevent me from commenting on it.