Blame the Victorians and their marketing. Anyone writing music then had a simple rule for selling their songs successfully: if it's a jig, it's Irish; if it's a reel, it's Scottish.

Question is, does it stop being "Irish music" if it's written or played by an Englishman/American/four-eyed Martian? If so, does that mean that I can't say I play Delta blues bcos I've never been anywhere near the Missississississ(argh!)ippi?

Grab.