My name is Michael Richard Patrick Lane. I am an Irish Catholic who loves singing songs in the Republican tradition, as well as trad songs, playing Irish trad music, some Scottish trad music, and singing in the native language of the land of my forebears. I have always told purists that don't think I should sing these "rebel" songs that that is pure hogwash as the troubles have shaped the politics of Ireland, and its music, for at least 400 years and to ignore it is to ignore our traditions. The Mudcat, and folks like John Moulden, Big Tim, Alison (who is forever and after THE FAIR ONE to me ;-)) and others, have helped me to see that the same can be said of the "Orange" music and its traditions. While this hasn't altered my views of the politics much, my musical life has been enriched by the discovery of a wonderful body of work. And it has helped me to understand the perspective of these people. As I said, it hasn't changed much of my view as to what I would hope would happen, but it has given me an appreciation for a culture that I never had before. And it has deepened my scholarship. I would never have had the chance to know these things and would have marched along in my one sided ignorance, were it not for this wonderful place.

Conrad Bladey has demonstrated his ignorance here far too many times for me to give him any praise at all. He is, IMHO, sociopathic. Very bright, and able to fool many, but he has shown himself to often for me to take him as anything other than a bigot.

In other words, he is an asshole. Just like the person who started this thread. Many of us knew who Jean Ritchie, Frank Hamilton, Sandy Paton, Dan Milner, and others who post here were before you knew how to make your first G chord. Your arrogance is amazing. Do us a favor and go to some other site with your vitriol. And we will go on, in our ignorance and stupidity, supporting this community that has allowed us to become friends.

In the darkness of ignorance but surviving,

Mick Lane