Some fifteen years ago, my wife Josephine Boland and I moved into our new house a few miles outside Kinvara, in the West of Ireland. After a long day shuffling all our belongings into some sort of starting order, we headed into the village to meet some friends for a pint and a tune, by arrangement. As we headed into Connolly’s Bar, we met them emerging, instruments packed away! “John Prine just walked into Green’s - we’re going over to listen!”. We knew then we had moved somewhere special. Scarcely a year has passed without another such magic session. Now, alas, no more.

May he rest in peace.