TRADITIONAL IRISH FOCUS Just before Christmas a snug not far above the spot where the traditional Irish seisún at the classic Victorian pub Blake's takes place in Enniskillen every Friday was just the place for a Sarah Brett BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast. The background chatter gave the broadcast a lot of atmosphere without being intrusive and it certainly made the programme that bit special.

There was no recording equipment whirring away on this occasion more's the pity given how fine this latest running of the Friday seisún last night was.

But like that broadcast, it must be something about the place itself, there was atmosphere. The surprise element was the presence of rocker Pat McManus playing in his trad Irish guise exclusively here on violin, his rich tone, rhythmic flair, and agile fingers only part of his artistry.

On superb form in a late night set which was at its best on the jauntier polkas and as the tempos accelerated an Irish zen took over the room. Everyone present knew that they had got lucky being there, fluking it.

Bustling with people, visitors from as far afield as county Clare mobbed the tiny space by the fireplace where pater familias of the local scene concertina player/accordionist Gaby McArdle and a patient Jim McGrath on guitar were joined by a flautist sitting in later on.

While there was great time-keeping from Pat throughout, the ensemble sound was built on rapport and the trio achieved more than the sum of their parts in rendition after rendition of demandingly disciplined traditional material. I was left only yearning for the sound of the bodhrán to add to the feverish atmosphere and above all more. SG

L-r above, pic marlbank: Gaby McArdle, Pat McManus, Jim McGrath. The seisún is weekly at Blake's of the Hollow on Fridays from 10.30pm.