Don,
I agree with The Snail,this thread is not typical of the majority of British or Irish folkies.
The majority are a friendly and welcoming set of people.
They may prefer one sort of material to another but will not react in hostile way to other peoples songs,most would be genuinely interested in your material and the differences and simularities.
The protagonists in the arguments above are at the more fanatical ends of of opinion and unwilling to give ground to each other or anyone else.
The rest of us are friendly.