Fionn Regan and Irish Music

I have eventually just purchased the Fionn Regan album, after much consideration for the last couple of months on the topic. I'm not sure why I hesitated to the degree that i did! I really liked what i heard of him, but admitedly i didn't hear it where i normally hear new music. Ian Dempsey played it on his morning show on Today FM. I listen sometimes, in the way you watch morning tv on a saturday, in a blind stare, not really taking in anything that happens, letting it wash over you.
He described him as a new Irish artist, and i guess i reacted with as much reluctance as i always do to those words! I generally assume that they're gong to be crap, and the only reason they're on the radio is that they're Irish. This clearly wasn't the case with Fionn.
One of my friends recently asked the question, what i would have thought if he had come from Idaho, would he be cooler then? I've written before on the variety of folk style music i like, with Micah P Hinson and M Ward being two of my favourite albums from last year, so why was i hesitating with Fionn? He's also on Domino records, the home of many of my favourites.
I also noticed something on reading various blogs on music, is people's reactions to Snow Patrol, Damien Rice etc. People hate them so much, much more than their bland inofensive music would generally dictate. You have to ask the question, would these people generate this type of reaction if they weren't Irish? Do i secretly dislike or mistrust music simply because it is Irish? Maybe.
I could argue that its just fear of hype. Generally anything even half way decent that is Irish, is hyped beyond all recognition. Bands like Aslan continue to amaze me by how everyone gets so excited over them. They have played the point depot in the past, and I couldn't name one of their songs.
The list of Irish bands i like is very short, but generally if i do like them, they've a fond place in my heart. From my past i did enjoy Rollerskate Skinny, An Emotional Fish, even Something Happens had their moments. Modern day bands include the Redneck Maniffesto and the Jimmy Cake, but i don't own an album by either of those last two bands.
Good luck to Fionn in the Choice Music awards, and done with my prejudice! I need an open mind from now on...