IT was very tempting to attempt an Irish jig as I made my way to the car on the homeward journey.

Being more than two hours in the company of The Dublin Legends certainly lifts the spirits and puts a spring in your step.

If there was ever a tonic to lift the winter blues, then this should be put on prescription.

And it is a wonder that the Stoneham Lane club has any floorboards left after the frenzy of foot-tapping which greeted every Dubliners classic from Paddy On The Railway to The Wild Rover.

It did not take long for the audience to be captivated by those timeless love ballads and drinking songs.

Tradition folk song The Black Velvet Band tells the story of transportation to Australia and always hits the right spot.

It was enough to get everyone in the mood for a sparkling Irish knees-up.

And it was quickly followed up by another crowd-pleasing ballad, I’ll Tell Me Ma.

Eamonn Campbell, Sean Cannon, Gerry O’Connor and Paul Watchorn are among the finest musicians to come out of Ireland. And they gave a masterclass on fiddle, guitar, banjo and mandolin.

The multi-talented O’Connor, who belongs to another iconic Irish band, Four Men And A Dog, mesmerised the audience with his marathon fiddle-playing.

Three years ago The Dubliners marked their 50th anniversary but their celebrations were overshadowed by the sudden death of founding member Barney “Banjo” McKenna.

The band decided to come off the road but The Dublin Legends were launched to continue The Dubliners’ rich musical legacy.

Their musical roots were in Irish folk but they became an overnight sensation with a string of 1960s hits.

Seven Drunken Nights was among the Concorde playlist which included Rocky Road, Dirty Old Town, Irish Rover, Whiskey In The Jar and The Wild Rover.

And it had their fans, including many from the Emerald Isle, leaping out of their seats.

After a standing ovation The Dublin Legends left Eastleigh eyes smiling with an encore of the very moving Molly Malone.