Thanks for the kind words Big Tim,
to answer your question about what Josh and Enoch were doing singing "Rebel" songs, I think you have to look at the time in which the recordings took place.
In the late 50's and early 60's the revival was in full swing, The Clancy's were popular, and many popular artists were recording covers of their songs, (only we didn't call them covers in those days). Even Peter, Paul and Mary did "Rebel" songs.
The songs were sung as historical artifacts, much in the same way as today you'll find people who are not royalist or RC singing Jacobite songs.
At this time the IRA were not as active as they had been and were to become again, and there was little stigma attached to performing them.
I remember being given some in a (non-denominational) school folk club by a teacher, without it being regarded as a subverise act, they were just folk songs, no politics involved.

love, john.