Behind the scenes, they'd spent the days leading up to the session working together on new arrangements of traditional tunes and each-other's songs.

The results were impressive, with a fantastic ensemble atmosphere throughout.

Kicking off with the best version of Does This Train Stop on Merseyside since Christy Moore's breathtaking cover at the Phil two years ago, Damien Dempsey, Niamh Parsons, Ian Prowse and Lizzie Nunnery brought new richness to the vocals, while the remaining 10 musicians transformed a rock n roll song into a rollicking jig that could wake the dead.

From one twirling jig it was on to two spectacular reels, with hair-raising renditions of The Red Haired Lass and The Merry Blacksmith, showing off the huge skill of the assembled musicians.

Slowing the pace, Niamh Parsons filled the huge Philharmonic Hall with emotion for the starkly beautiful Fear a Bhata (My boatman). Singing in Gaelic, she held the crowd's focus in the palm of her hand, telling her story with such passion that we didn't need to be able to understand the words.

Similarly, Terry Clarke Coyne's flute playing on The Other Side told a story in itself. Rich, lyrical and fluid, his technique brought life to every note. Thanks to the Phil's impressive acoustics, the crowd could hear every tiny element of his playing.

Alan Burke's rocking rendition of Yaller Girls picked up the pace again, bringing a flavour of Irish punk to proceedings.

But the biggest cheers came for Damien Dempsey, the bright young Dubliner whose name has become a byword for the new branch of talent coming out of Ireland. Singing Stan Kelly's I Wish I Was Back in Liverpool, and an ensemble version of Rocky Road to Dublin, he brought new meaning to every line.

And that was the real beauty of the Irish Sea Sessions - reworkings of classic songs, surprising collaborations, and above all a huge passion and respect for the songs they played and sang made it a real highlight of the Irish Festival. I'm already hoping for another one next year...