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I went “home” last night.

On so many levels. Back to Kilburn to see Once a Catholic at the Tricycle Theatre with my old schoolmate Joe Callanan and four of his brothers. Practically everyone in my class, no matter where they live now, began life in Kilburn, Cricklewood or Paddington. Like many in the audience, we’d returned to the old neighbourhood to see aspects of our childhood re-enacted on stage. But London NW6 has changed. Many of the old Irish pubs along Kilburn High Road are either no longer Irish or no longer pubs, but the Colin Campbell remains unaltered. It was as warm, tatty and Irish as I remember it and as we went in, this is the track I heard in my head.

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