▁the ▁local ity ▁were ▁pi per ▁Will ie ▁Cl ancy ▁and ▁f idd ler ▁Bobby ▁Case y . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁Mac M ah on ▁moved ▁to ▁Dublin ▁to ▁train ▁as ▁a ▁teacher , ▁where ▁he ▁came ▁into ▁contact ▁with ▁accord ion ist ▁Son ny ▁Bro gan ▁and ▁f idd ler ▁John ▁Kelly . ▁Tra v elling ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁in ▁both ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Dublin , ▁he ▁shared ▁a ▁flat ▁with ▁pi per ▁and ▁singer ▁Se am us ▁En nis , ▁whom ▁he ▁cred its ▁as ▁an ▁important ▁influence ▁on ▁his ▁playing ▁of ▁slow ▁air s . ▁ ▁Mac M ah on ▁plays ▁the ▁accord ion ▁in ▁the ▁" press - and - draw " ▁style ▁of ▁his ▁ment or ▁Joe ▁Co ole y . ▁He ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁an ▁exception ally ▁powerful ▁perform er , ▁particularly ▁of ▁slow ▁air s , ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁" icon ic ▁figure ▁in ▁traditional ▁music ▁circles ". ▁His ▁own ▁attitude ▁to ▁his ▁music , ▁and ▁his ▁chosen ▁instrument , ▁can ▁be ▁amb ivalent , ▁however : ▁" I ▁wouldn ’ t ▁regard ▁my ▁own ▁music ▁either ▁as ▁traditional ▁or ▁indeed ▁anything ▁to ▁write ▁home ▁about . ▁[...] ▁For ▁longer ▁than ▁I ▁care ▁to ▁remember , ▁I ▁have ▁hack ed ▁my ▁way ▁through ▁t unes ▁of ▁beauty ▁and ▁tend ern ess ▁on ▁stage ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁founder ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁band ▁Se ach ta