For the thousands of Celtic fans that visit Santa Ponsa on holiday Mairtin O hUigin needs no introduction.
Over the last 20 years the man from Glenravel, County Antrim has been entertaining holiday makers with a distinctively Irish and Celtic emphasis at The Dubliner on the Carrer de Ramon de Montcada.
To those that know the resort that is a right at the wee roundabout/Daniels corner, up past Greenhills and it is facing you, can’t be missed, shouldn’t be missed.
The Dubliner is the top night-time bar in the Mallorcan resort with the season starting on April 1 and running through until late October with two singing slots- from 9.30pm till 12.30 then 12.30am through to 4am.
Mairtin, alongside Darrin Cahill are there all through the season with some bonus shifts before and after Celtic matches with half a dozen big screens to enjoy the matches.
There is a good sized terrace outside for the smokers and vapers to ensure that everyone is catered for, more than a few folk will be back at The Dubliner two or three times a year.
It takes stamina, dedication and plenty of aqua to be able to go on stage for three hours every night for the best part of seven months although Mairtin had one day off last year for a day trip home  to perform at a dinner for the Ballymena Shamrock.
As a former Celtic Season Ticket holder Mairtin knows all the tunes, is always topical, Jota on the Wing is back in favour and has even mastered the indoors You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Darrin forms a sort of Larsson and Sutton partnership, he knows the next tune before Mairtin does and pops up with a few solo efforts during the night.
The team is completed by the wizard of Oz, Cabbage on the fiddle flying in from Sydney for as long as EEC laws allow him.
Chris from Erin go Bragh is currently on the late shift, bringing energy and passion through to 4am, like Mairtin and Darrin he is on top of all the topical tunes and can even belt out a very mean Rhinestone Cowboy.
Putting the acts together are Sofia and Sonia with help from Ciarain, they certainly know their audience which explains why The Dubliner is packed out as they give it heart and soul every night for seven months.
Other acts are on show, mainly during April, May and October with the winter months spent scouting for the best of the new talent.
Down the road from The Dubliner is Brennan’s Sports Bar which has live music on from 7pm every night and sometimes even earlier.
The outdoor stage is very popular, bringing in many passers by at the busiest part of the resort to keep everyone on their toes which is just the way that the like it.
Michelle manages the whole operation and has new acts on every couple of weeks backed around the regulars of Pastor John/JJ McBrearty (Jesus) and Fergal McCahey. No one works harder than Michelle as she serves drinks, clears tables and catches up with her regulars, Brennan’s is a passion with her stamp all over it.
There is much more to Santa Ponsa than Irish and Celtic bars although they are an essential part of the resort for many holidaymakers. Celtic, Ireland and GAA shirts are everywhere at night but two minutes from the roundabout at Daniels Corner is a glorious white beach that is the prime feature of the resort.
With land on three sides forming a bay the water is very still, at this time of year the chill has gone with daytime temperatures in the mid-twenties, at night it will ‘drop’ to around 18 degrees.
Behind the beach there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. There are some exceptional tapas bars, a few top steakhouses, a good selection of Chinese, Indian and Italian with Burger King and McDonald’s for those that miss their home comforts.
Just under a mile away from The Dubliner the Celts Well is highly popular, situated in The Square which has a massive high quality screen which allows 400 fans to sit outside and enjoy watching the Celts in the sun.
Indoors from 10pm it is home to the one and only Karl Byrne, like James Forrest he is into his 16th season and still producing the goods.
Karl is as much a story teller as he is a musician, he could probably get through a shift without taking his guitar out the case.
For some unknown reason he finds a victim/prop almost every night in the audience, usually going in on their appearance, choice of clothing or hairstyle.
With just two expectations in those 16 years the victim laps up the friendly banter from the stage- Santa Ponsa produces that sort of vibe where Celtic fans know that they are among their own and very well catered for.
Marina, Katie and Harry serve up the drinks, they’ve heard Karl for years, know his routines but there is always the surprise element to keep them all on them amused. Harry came up with the giant screen and is also an expert at serving up birthday cakes.
Tom, Tosh and Mairtin giving it large
