As I write this, the weather outside is more akin to a damp, cold November day – not mid June! Have we had our Summer already? No, of course not, but it’s a saying that pessimists bandy about every year. I always see the bright side and I’m sure there are more tropical climes just over the horizon …
Just like the clear blue sky, hot sunny days that we had last weekend – the perfect weather for Garden Party, the intimate music event that took place at Ballinlough Castle last Saturday. The Pet Shop Boys played a blinder and Hot Chip did not disappoint the capacity crowd they played to. Among those I spotted around the fabulous walled gardens were fashion designer Virginia Macari, Sinead Ni Chonaill (just back from Rome), Andrea Dillon Horan, Eoin Higgins from The Dubliner, Melanie Morris of Image and DJ Hugh Scully, all getting some practice in for Electric Picnic which happens at the end of August.
Tuesday night saw the reopening of the very famous Ierne ballroom as Caffertys @ The Ierne on Parnell Square. The VIP reception saw many of those who had been involved with the Ierne, and bands of the time, attending. Now, if you don’t know what I mean by ‘of the time’ then don’t worry, it probably wasn’t your time but may have been your parents.
Joe Dolan came to see the wonderfully restored and modernised ballroom and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was in great form as he officially opened the venue. He owned and operated a group of ballrooms many years ago so was in familiar territory. Also attending was the legendary performer Sean Dunphy who represented Ireland in the Eurovision many years ago (and whose son Brian will be appearing later this month in the venue). Others at the reception included Hugh Hardy who managed Larry Cunningham and The Mighty Avons, Corrina Grant, Miss Ireland Sarah Morrissey and Aoife Cogan. After the party the first performer to take to the stage was Jimmy Buckley who performed to the opening night audience.
The venue plans to have a mixture of top bands, like Jimmy Buckley, Mick Flavin, Indians, Louise Morrissey to middle of the road bands like Dickie Rock, Showband Show, Bjorn Again Dominic Kirwan to late night discos and is aimed at the 25 plus age group with late bars nightly. Rock on!
Sarah Morrissey had a busy week. She was also at the ‘tasty’ Dressing up for Summer party hosted by Helmanns on Wednesday. Her year as reigning Miss Ireland comes to a close at the end of this month as the Miss Ireland finals take place in Cork. She was one of the models at the fashion show and party in Fallon & Byrne, with Samantha Mumba, magic man Keith Barry, actress Amy Huberman, Andrew Rudd, Roisin Ni Mhordha and Katy French also in attendance.
Incidentally, I also had dinner there during the week and spotted Bill Cullen and Jackie Lavin, TV presenter Taragh Loughrey – Grant and writer Lorcan Roche amongst the diners. Lorcan has just released his latest novel The Companion and is in the process of choosing which studio is to get the film rights to the book.
Speaking of tasty food, Taste of Dublin is on this weekend in the Iveagh Gardens, off Harcourt Street. Among the celebrity chefs in attendance are Anthony Worrell Thompson, Angela Hartnet of The Connaught in London, Frederic Condonnier of The Mill at The Village at Lyons and Derry Clarke of l’Ecrivain. Should the miserable weather stay away I recommend you head there for some great grub and vino collapso in what used to be Dublin’s best kept secret.
