Or maybe it was ex-Wings man Henry McCullough in absolutely tip-top form in the Back Room on Sunday night.

Then again, Jennifer Batten was superb when she did her multi-media show in the Back Room on Saturday. And Welsh wizard Gareth Pearson and the unbelieveable Wim den Herder were stunning when they sat in on the session late on Friday night.

Yes, there were lots of golden moments in the first Inishowen International Guitar Festival.

It was such a great success it's hoped that this can become an annual feature in the music calendar of the North-West.

McGrory's was the spiritual home of the festival, but there were also events elsewhere, as the pics elsewhere in this paper testify.
In Culdaff itself Beppe Gambette, yet another guitar wizard, this time from Italy, wowed those who attended his flat-picking workshop in the Wee Hall. There was also an exhibition there by Taylor Guitars showcasing some fine instruments.

In terms of star status, Jennifer Batten certainly fitted the bill. After all, she spent years in Michael Jackon's band and also toured with Jeff Beck, another man firmly in the pantheon of guitar greats.
In person she was unassuming; on stage she was pretty mind-blowing in terms of technique. She certainly got the attention of students in Moville Community College when she put on her multi-media show there on Friday afternoon.

There was a quite remarkable variety of guitarists on show and this weekend has certainly put Inishowen firmly on the map for guitar lovers.

Clive Carroll, a good mate of the outstanding Ramelton-based guitarist and singer Paul Buckley, impressed with remarkable technique and variety of material, from classical guitar pieces to Irish trad and lots of jazz and everything else in between.

Gareth Pearson is the young Welsh virtuoso who has remarkable ability and also a big stage presence, hamming it up with everyhing including the 'lying on your back playing while kicking your legs in the air' technique. His duet playing with Wim den Herder, who is best approached with a video camera with slow-mo facility, was a highlight of the weekend.

Paul Buckley's gig in the front bar on the Saturday night was a stormer, featuring the Burt brothers Billy and Percy Robinson on bass and dobro and lots of people sitting in.

Arty McGlynn was in his element, featuring variously as a renowned trad accompanist on the Friday night, a brilliant country blues player on Saturday night and a jazzman in the Sunday concert with his quartet, which featured Fahan's Sean McCarron on sax and clarinet.

For the first year of a festival, this had a lot to offer. One feature was the display of vintage guitars and amps in the restaurant area of McGrory's on Saturday afternoon. Henry McCullough arrived with the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top he played at Woodstock , and also on show was a guitar he was given as a Christmas present by Paul and Linda McCartney. A local man even arrived with an early Hofner from his boot.

It was that kind of weekend - relaxed, hugely enjoyable and featuring the sort of guitar music and guitar players you aren't likely to see this side of a Carlsberg advert!