According to a new book launched this week, 'The Irish Pub', Fermanagh does not have any pubs which live up to this description.

And the omission of one of the county's oldest and most famous pubs, 'Blakes of the Hollow' in Enniskillen has not only baffled some of the Hollow's regulars, but has also left pub owner, Pat Blake somewhat bewildered.

Mr Blake explained: "I suspect he (the author) has inadvertently missed the Victorian bar in 'Blake's of the Hollow', which is one of the most famous bars in Ireland and has remained untouched since 1887.

"It looks as though he went in the side door, the access to the new series of bars in the building, and by-passed the Victorian bar.

"Otherwise it is inconceivable he couldn't find a bar to his liking in Fermanagh with the 'Hollow' being available."

In fact Fermanagh is one of only two, along with Longford, which does not have an entry in this book.

The author, Turtle Bunbury, along with photographer James Fennell, travelled the length and breath of Ireland to try and find the country's most quintessential Irish pubs.

He explained what exactly they were looking for: "We were after places that still retained the fundamental spirit of charm - of opening to genuinely entertain the community rather than to fleece them, of seeking to develop creative thought and kinship between pub patrons, of not simply relying on plasma screens to draw the crowd."

And it is against this criteria he failed to find a pub to his liking in Fermanagh.

When questioned specifically about Blake's of the Hollow, Mr Bunbury was unrepentant about his decision to by-pass the 121 year-old pub.

He explained: "I think it's very impressive what they are doing there, but it's five stories high or something, and there are a lot of plasma television screens and we were kind of trying to avoid these sort of pubs. It just wasn't the style of pub we were looking for."

However, Mr Bunbury failed to confirm if he had visited all parts of the Blake's Complex, and in particular if he had found the old bar in the pub.

Top of his list in Fermanagh is 'The Linnet Inn' in Boho, where he said he spent 'a lovely afternoon' and he revealed it would have made it into his book if there had been more slots available than the 39 which are included in the guide.

Mr Bunbury did admit however: "These are not necessarily the best of pubs.

"It's just a sample of nice old-style pubs across the Country."