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The ‘Railway Bar’ session unfortunately missed by our Oz visitors John and Annette Macan proved one of the best for a long while. We had three visiting sessionists, an excellent bluegrass banjoist from Belfast, another prize-winning banjo player and a singer/guitarist. We also had many ‘student’ sessionists who join us this time of year, among them Rosie Ferguson and a beautiful young fiddler whose face I recognise but whose name I don’t know. We were crowded – up close and personal – and the latter, and her friend had to squeeze past me on the way to the bar. My wife was highly amused at my painfully-obvious attempts to keep my hands to myself each time they passed!
Tommy Fegan was there with his whistle and
Ullan pipes. Bernard O’Hanlon played excellent whistle and mouth
organ. We had a very talented young male flautist. Terry Conlon led,
played the accordion and told the odd story too! Barney, and Patsy
Quinn beat the bohrans. Rabbie, Paddy and other regulars were there
too and the great music flowed continuously until late.
John Macan wanted to meet the locals. What a
chance missed. Banjo, our Everest hero was there, as was Terry McKay
and a host of Newry and South Down/South Armagh characters. And our
most welcome visitors, this time of year.
We spoke briefly with a friend, an incredible
lady who we would see frequently and know to be incredibly kind and
concerned for others. But my wife had discovered (from others) a feat
of kindness unparalled in my recent experience. Some time ago the
grand home of a casual acquaintance accidentally burned to the ground.
Our friend forsook her own home to move in temporarily with relatives
in order to accommodate this needy family of five. No, the needy
family was neither relatives nor close friends, just needy. And no one
would have heard of this kindness, except they learned like us by a
circuitous route. I apologise to our dear friend if this information
is sufficient for some to identify – and thus –embarrass her, for her
generosity of spirit is intensely private. No purgatory for this fine
lady!
You see now, John Macan, why I tell you I
love my people and you ought to have made time to meet a few more of
them?! There may have been twenty more wonderful stories in that
lounge, for I was acquainted with barely half of those present. Come
back soon and meet all of them!
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Recreation 
