As an Irish Open virgin, it can take a couple of days to find your feet. There’s one thing you discover pretty quickly though: they come for the poker — but they stay for the Craic Den.

In its quieter moments you’ll find yourself challenged to a quick game of darts, Fifa, table football, or even shuffleboard — a deceptively simple game that’s strangely addictive. But quiet is a rare commodity here. And once the sun is over the proverbial yard arm, the Craic Den really comes alive.

It’s around 9pm on Sunday and it’s just starting to warm up. Georgina James has just offered me a beer, which for some reason I declined — I won’t be making that mistake again. We were scheduled to enjoying a seesion of Play Your Cards Right but Rory McIlroy has just gone three shots clear in The Masters and that’s been put on hold.

Nick Walsh has just arrived