Right, Stanron. Yes, that last remark wasn't your finest hour. Learning by ear takes a fair bit of doing but the rewards are manifold. Deciding that that's the right way to learn is the very opposite of lazy. Of the chaps in my session, only one, a relative newcomer, was ever conversant enough to learn tunes from notation. It was always pretty obvious when he had and a contrasting breath of fresh air when he picked tunes up by ear from the rest of us. Learning a tune by ear helps you to be collaborative, flexible and immune from saying things such as "that's the wrong version" or "why are you playing it that way?" You also learn far more organically how to ornament and how to get lift into a tune, things that no tune book can tell you.

As for learning from recordings, of course that happens a lot and, relatively speaking, there's no harm in it as long as you listen to different versions on different records. Recordings are not all the same. Slick, highly-produced recordings with every blemish removed are of little value for learning from, but in traditional music there are plenty of scratchy old live, or single-take, recordings that are invaluable, and, sound quality permitting, usually a lot more enjoyable. One or two more modern live recordings are great too. One of my favourites, which Michael Gill put me on to, is Ego Trip, a solo fiddle album by MacDara ? Raghallaigh. I gave up buying new-release "folk" CDs years ago. They are mostly pretty boring after two or three listens. It's also great to record your own session in order to catch the tunes.

The Carolan book you refer to is replete with idiosyncrasies that render it of limited value, certainly for learning tunes from, unless you want to get people scratching their heads. I gave my copy away years ago. Likewise with my copy of O'Neill's, a waste of money. The good ol' folk process has gone to town on it.

All in m'humble, of course.