When I was a child, I was a big fan of those comics that advertised 'jokes' on the back. There was itching powder, sugar cubes that floated and a seebacroscope.

The one that my parents put their foot down about was the nose flute. they weren't having such a thing in the house, or anywhere near the house.

I bet if I had more sympathetic parents, I would have been there in The Chieftains with me nose flute, swapping slip jigs and trading riffs with Paddy Moloney.

I suppose catarrh is a bit like writers block, for a nose flute player.