My friend cannot play tin whistle properly, sings badly most of the time, annoys people with her pibgorn at sessions, and loves every minute of it. It provides her with a chance to perform, a social network - she gets out of the house for an evening.

she brings more than her 'music' to sessions because she has a passion for the history of music, and for instruments.

Given that she has had a mini-stroke some years back, it is a relief that she can still ruin a good tune.