Cara, I think you must have looked at my thread "Time Travel Troubles" posted on 7.3.02 in which I complained about third generation Americans having a distorted view of Irish history. I would not dream of extending the same criteria to "Irish" songs. So long as someone is singing a song, no matter where it originates, then hopefully, they are having the "craic". I can assure you that several "Irish" songs which were written for Broadway shows have found their way into Irish folklore and no one objects. On St Patricks Day in Dublin I will be singing everthing from The Fields of Athenry to Tecumsah Valley and whether its a Willie Clancy song or a Willie Nelson song won't matter - it's the "craic" that's important.