I spent a couple of weekends last year in Ireland with relatives for the first time. Co. Offaly and around. Lock-ins drinking Guiness to die for with Paddy & Red chasers; young girls with angelic voices singing at the bar; grown men reciting 30 verse stanzas whilst staring intensely into their glasses. My Uncle Brendan smiling at me whilst he removes his nicotine patches and telling me he's an addiction councellor. An old aunty telling my Dad: 'It's all drink related Jimmy! Aaallll drink related'. Old Ireland may be dying out but there's still a strong flavour of the place if you know where to look.