At Mantra: 1. Gray O’Brien & Sophie Ellis Bextor; 2. Brian Ormond & Pippa O’Connor; 3. Mairead & Keith Barry. (Pics. Brian McEvoy)
Pop sensation Sophie Ellis Bextor flew in to perform for lucky guests at the opening of Mantra Garden Bar and Club in Maynooth last week. After playing an intimate song set to a select number the dance floor favourite joined the posse for what was a much anticipated party.
So what’s so great about Mantra in Maynooth? Well it’s a new 30,000 square foot multi level state of the art garden bar and club including 8,000 ft of tropical gardens with 250 different species of plant complete with a 25ft waterfall over two floors and a towering 25ft gilt statue of Buddha weighing two and a half tonnes.
Inspired by the internationally acclaimed 'Buddha Bar' in Paris and 'TAO' in New York, Mantra takes its place amongst the über cool destination venues throughout the World. World Champion Cocktail waiter, Martin Holec, will preside over the cocktail bar with world class cocktails and hand cut ice from a large ice sculpture for select whiskeys. The place looks every inch the reported €12m investment.
Among the guests in Maynooth for the club launch were Jim Corr, Blizzards front man Niall Breslin, DJ Dave de Valera, Keith Barry and singer Brian Kennedy. Corrie actors Michelle Keegan and Gray O’Brien were also in attendance, as were Pippa O’Connor and Brian Ormond, TV3’s Andrea Hayes, Michael O’Doherty and models Sarah Kavanagh and Georgia Salpa, to name but a few.
The complex, on the site of the old Leinster Arms Pub, has required 200 kilometres of cable yet the whole premises will use less energy than a normal family home. The very latest technology and trends have been incorporated into the fit-out including “pour your own pint at your own table taps”, an outdoor glass elevator linking the ground floor gardens to the 1st floor gardens and a specialist heating system that keeps the outdoor areas at a comfortable 21 degrees all year round.
See www.mantrabar.ie for a sneak preview.
