Ebbie's tolerant perspective is admirable. I share it most of the time.

However, also as an audience member, there have been a few times over the years when hecklers have almost ruined a show for me. If the management can't recognise the harm being done and ask the fella to shut it, I'm grateful to a performer with the authority to want to salvage the show for the rest of the audience.

When Finbar Furey's patience runs out I wouldn't want to be the heckler... He'll take a fair bit with good humour, but when things go on to the point of tedium he can shut 'em up with a look.

Some people seem to think the show is a double act between them and the performer to the extent that other audience members are irrelevant.

And rather the artist shut the heckler up with a few choice words than another audience member do it with a belt in the gob. Something else I've seen happen. It never does much for the atmosphere.