Are you seriously suggesting that those born after 1950 are writing songs using folk forms and functions in any significant number - who are they and what are they writing

Yes. Examples. Karine Polwart, All on a summers evening; Seth Lakeman, The White Hare; Kitty Macfarlane, Time and Tide. Many, many more where those came from.

does Ed Sheeran count among those

Some of his songs, yes! I refer you to his self penned 'Nancy Mulligan'. I would have no issue with him performing that at any folk club I attended.

Can you tell me what your view of "folk forms and functions" is and give examples ? As to what it is, I think Dick Miles summed it up technically. For all Dick's other issues he is a musician I trust to know what he is talking about.

there seems to be musically a melodic folk style that defines that which is normally accepted as folk style in the uk.
on analysis this involves the use of the dorian and mixolydian scale as well as the major scale not many other scales are used, one exception being one song of dave goulders that use the locrian scale, melodically they generally appear to stick wthin certain melodic boundaries , unlike jazz they do not generally involve improvisation.
as a general rule most songwriters writing in this uk contemp folkstyle, avoid twelve bar blues, occasionally there are exceptions.often musically they avoid diminshed chords.

As for examples, I just gave you some. I am sure you will dispute the ones I list but they are not only my view of "contemporary songs using folk forms and functions" (Yes, I will keep that cumbersome term just for you :-) ) but the view of millions of others. I don't always go with the crowd as you know but on this score, I think they are right. After all, There is nothing specialised about knowing what a folk song is or sounds like...

Enjoy your day in Ennis.

I am at Morris practice tonight and going to see Captain Marvel followed by a curry tomorrow so I know not when we shall speak again.