George, an Irish fiddler who went to Cape Breton said she thought she had died and gone to heaven!
The first time I saw Cape Breton musicians was at a gathering in Cork (1993?) and I was very impressed that just about everyone in the group of about a dozen fiddled and danced and sang and played piano; they would take turns leaving down their fiddles to accompany the others on piano. And of course, Natalie McMaster, danced while she fiddled. I saw her about 5 years later in Stornaway and she was more of star then but I didn't enjoy her playing as much that time.

I don't especially like to watch dancing; I prefer to be able to join in.
We do have plenty of music in Ireland, it's just I think it is becoming more of a specialist pastime and less something that involves the whole community.