"of course I'm exagerating for flippant sarcastic effect....."
I can see that!!
You're also doing an 'Al' in suggesting that one should b regarded by anyone as 'superior' or 'elitist' - if a musical form can't allow for all levels of interest it is is short sighted and eventually self-destructive.
he turnaround in Ireland came when the arts establishment eventually took traditional music seriously - took a long time and came about by researchers and singers/musicians came together and lobbied for arts and government support.
Nobody is going to support a music that is little better than third-rate pop-tribute acts.
If some of usbehaved in the knuckles-along-the-ground childish manner people like Muskie have we'd have deserved the 'folk-police tag - he now appears to be adding 'folk Gestapo' to his 'Yob folk' image
Give it a rest Muskie, we know your a thug without your having to over-stress the point
Jim Carroll