THE second Frankie Kennedy Winter School of traditional music, which took place in Donegal at the weekend, and the concurrent series of concerts organised by Tionscnamh Lugh, packed enough musical power to blast listeners right through 1996. At the lakeside Ionad Cois Locha, as the snow on Errigal turned pink beneath the frosty sky, punters were rendered speechless by a galaxy of musical talent.

There were solo concerts with the likes of box player Dermot Byrne, fiddler Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and bouzouki player Manus Lunny. "The Three M's", (Ni Mhaonaigh with Maire Ni Bhraonain and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill) were joined by Sharon Shannon, Donal Lunny, Liam O Maonlai and Lillis O Laoire, A crazy New Year's Eve ceili with Cooney and Begley included impromptu interventions from many of the musicians present. Steve Cooney, Shannon and Lunny were just some of the musicians who squeezed onto the stage at Altan's New Year's Day gig.

The downside of this spectacular success was the queues of hopeful people shivering in Arctic conditions outside the centre - before the gigs, including some continental tourists who had hitched from the other end of the country. There were virtually no returns. The managers of Ionad Cois Locha have applied to the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht for funds to double the capacity of the auditorium. If there ever was a worthy venture this is it; a community led endeavour in a culturally disadvantaged area, which effortlessly combines the development of the local arts scene and the provision of a tourist amenity.