Sian, be sure to go to the Cove, a mile or two along the road out of Newry, going towards Hilltown - ie along the non-coastal route to Newcastle. Sessions are on Tuesday nights. Their claim used to be that they never missed a session. It's a good few months since I was there last, but I've no reason to think the tradition has been broken.

Leading supporters/participants include Ben Sands and other members of that revered family.

There's the usual welcome and encouragement from fellow musicians for anyone attempting to play Irish traditional, but those of, for instance, my own modest competence need to exercise a little discretion. Audience expectations are high. The likes of Tommy Makem, Sean Maguire and Cathal Hayden are well-known at the Cove, not to mention the great, the one-and-only, the fabulous (oh for Noreen's grasp of html!) B A R N E Y M c K E N N A.