TV CHEF Neven Maguire has revealed a new skill on the Tommy Tiernan show.

The Blacklion man talked to the comedian about his unlikely early days working as a DJ in an Enniskillen nightclub.

He said: “When I was very young, training to be a chef, I used to do a bit of DJ-ing

“I used to be in a nightclub in Enniskillen, so I had Technics decks and then used to go up every two weeks to Dublin to get dance music.”

Host Tommy reacted with shock, and Neven justified his position, and said: “I loved it. I just got a buzz from it, and I just fell in love with Dance music – it was all a Dance music collection, in 2000 records at home.”

Neven compared his busy restaurant life to the buzz of Dance music.

He said: “I just love it; the high-energy, just kind of like when you’re in service, there is a great buzz from it. I’ve always loved it, even to be driving up to Dublin or whatever like that.

“I’d play the Dance music, and just enjoy it. I always enjoyed it.”

Neven did mention that his taste in music has evolved since he was younger.

He said: “Now, some of it – Drum and Bass, and that stuff – I’ve kind of gone past it. However, some of it is very meaningful.

“I kind of get lost in the music, to be honest with you. I’ve reconnected with it; the way people have reconnected with food, I’m having great fun with the [DJ] decks at the moment.”

Tiernan then quizzed Neven on his involvement with the Nineties Dance scene and Rave culture that also popped up in Ireland.

He said: “We still were living in Blacklion, but I was playing in a nightclub in Enniskillen on a Wednesday and Friday night.

“The restaurant was quiet then, so we’d finish at about 11pm. My dad, bless him, drove me in the car with my twin brother, and I’d go play the last hour [at the nghtclub].”

Neven laughed as he recalled how he DJed for free and never got paid.

Now that he has rediscovered his love of Dance music, Neven can be seen on social media on occasion putting his skills to use, picking up on his old hobby from his younger days.

He said his nine-year-old twins “probably think I’ve lost the plot”.

The surprising insights into his deep love of Dance music and DJing was just part of his wide-ranging interview, which also drew on his early days growing up on the Cavan-Fermanagh Border during The Troubles.

His family’s restaurant, MacNean House and Restaurant, was bombed twice during The Troubles, resulting in it having to close for a number of years.

Neven also detailed his early life learning to chef in the Fermanagh College (now the South West College), and his favourite dishes including his mother’s apple tart.

The full Neven Maguire interview from The Tommy Tiernan show can be viewed on the RTÉ Player, with the Series 5, Episode 12 show also seeing Tommy joined by Dr. Sinead Kane and musician Mike Scott.

The RTE episode can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/ncp3h9ks.