I think that traditional Irish music has to include the American Irish music. People like O'Neill who collected many tunes & songs that otherwise would have been lost, or fiddle players such as Michael Coleman who inspired a generation of musicians in Ireland with his recordings. and others such as Ed Reavy who came from Cavan but settled in Philadelphia for most of his life and wrote many great fiddle tunes. Or for that matter Irish American fiddlers and composers like Liz Carroll. I certainly agree with all of those who say that the fastest way to clear an "Irish Bar" is to play real Irish tunes or sing real Irish songs. petr