It’s ITM trash-talkin’. If you compare someone to a pile of rolled oats and nuts, you’d better be Ready … to … Rumble! 
In the spirit of Pump the Weasel, I’m sufficiently inspired to suggest it as an excuse to write a new tune. Any takers?
X:1
T:The Irish Granola
M:2/4
C:Anyone who’d like to add a few bars
R:We’ll see
L:1/8
K:Gmajor
D|GB d>c|BA GF|GD G/A/B/c/|A3
[starting at last bar]
A3B | c/B/A dB/A/ | GF GD | E/F/G/E/ F/G/A/B/ | G3
Next!
“Granola Irish” is just a phrase that popped into my head. The origin I guess is from Casey Burns (the Irish flute maker) who at Lark Camp back in the 80’s used the term “Granola flutes” for, as he said, “flutes with more, or less, than six fingerholes.”
The sort of “Irish” bands I’m talking about play ITM from old Chieftans albums, usually with a few Renaissance and/or old timey and/or Scottish and/or Contra Dance tunes thrown in, on instruments not traditionally associated with ITM such as lap dulcimers, recorders, etc, and tend to dress in a combination of hippie and Ren Faire clothing. Reels jigs etc are played with lots of long notes, no ornamentation beyond trills, and lots of vibrato.
One such band I came across used a Mel Bay Appalachian Dulcimer book as its one and only source: it played every tune in that book in the key it appears and the exact arrangement note for note. To them that book was THE fount of knowledge of ITM.
I guess that that was supposed to be some sort of personal attack… whatever.
I don’t know about the “boon to the neophyte” thing, but indeed I have taught a large number of beginners over the last 25+ years and take pride in the fact that so many have become accomplished ITM players.
I have dozens of “thank you” emails for every derogatory comment.
Don’t you find the very word “Panceltic” somewhat antithetical to your defense of The Real Thing, i.e. your whack at the Ren Fair crowd?
Rob
Any fule kno that Pan was greek.
Must’ve enjoyed a bit of the aul’ Boston-style basketball as well…
Rob
To be fair, I think Richard has issued an apology in the past, complete with embarrassed smiley, for his choice of user name. 
All I know is if he shows up at our session with only panpipes and a loin cloth, we ain’t letting him in. 
All the same, it’s an ironic banner to have flying over a high-minded attack at those folks who are somewhat less sophisticated about Irish music than the rest of us. I re-read the examples and found no offenses committed by the beginners in question, save perhaps a want of refinement and taste, which no doubt will develop with time unless they are cut off at the legs by withering commentary. The most absurd thing would be to blame the tune “Road to Lisdoon,” or The Chieftains, for peoples’ not having spontaneously developed a deep and abiding understanding of traditional music.
Rob
I agree. It’s far more sensible to do what I do. I blame ALL of the ills of the world, including the weeds in my garden, on Bill Gates.
Seriously offtopic, but I’m not the one who brought it up… the name “pancelticpiper” had nothing to do with the god Pan, or panpipes, but rather the fact that I had made it a quest to play the pipes of all the so-called “Celtic nations”: the Scottish GHB (also used for Breton music), the Irish uilleann pipes, the Gaita Gallega, and the Cornish Doublepipes. Missing were the Welsh pipes. The Scottish, Irish, and Cornish pipes have personal meaning to me because my ancestors came from those places.
It’s a cheesy name no doubt, regretted soon after I’d conjured it up.
I think this thread has run into the “arrogance of the devoted”. That is, the common clash between those truly devoted to a lifestyle with those reflecting only a passing interest.
The cool thing about this “arrogance” (which often isn’t truly arrogance but comes across that way) is that it helps keep the values of whatever-it-is true and the traditions alive and authentic. For a culture or subculture to continue true to itself you must have this kind of guardianship.
The sad thing about this “arrogance” is that it often prevents new devotee’s from passing an important barrier separating “interest” from “devotion.” For a culture or subculture to continue, true to itself or not, you need noobs to become devotees as well.
I run into this all the time as a biker. Most of my family rides, but they’re not bikers. Other riders don’t understand my distaste for trailers or fair-weather riders. I don’t expect them to, but for me this isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. So when someone expresses deep appreciation for “real bikers” like OCC, I cringe. And when I speak out about that, BANG - there’s the arrogance! 
Trad’s a hobby for me. I love it, but I don’t know enough to be “real” or “authentic”. I play “Lisdoonvarna” the way I heard it, and I love playing it 'cause I like the tune and think it’s fun. Those who’ve devoted a large amount of their lives and hearts to it, however, might not consider my interest or input as valuable.
I actually respect that, because I (the enthusiast) know where I stand as well as where they (the devoted) stand.
How about no arrogance at all? Not sure how introducing such an inflammatory term, even as a rhetorical device, helps the discussion.
All I say is, don’t blame the tune for how people play it.
Rob
Never intended inflamation. Perceived arrogance is something true devotee’s run into. I’m saying it’s unavoidable.
The key here is “perceived.”
I think it’s a good term, and accurate! When I, for example, want to make sure people know owning a bike doesn’t make one a biker, people often hear arrogance there. It’s not my intention to be arrogant. It is my intention, however, to clarify that Thing A isn’t Thing B, even if it wants to be.
For those who don’t know the difference between Thing A and Thing B, it sounds arrogant. “You’re not as good as me”, kinda-thing.
Sorry to offend, Rob.
I’m trying to picture a biker gang pulling up at a gas station, dismounting and whipping out their whistles…
No one wants a whistle-whipping. Trust me, it’s embarrassing.
You’d think it would be “whistle-pipping”, wouldn’t you? Hmmm …
I bet they go for the nickel rather than brass finish to look good alongside all that chrome.
T-t-t-talking 'bout my g-g-g-Generation …