Fashion Focus

The beautiful Jenny Lee Masterson at the Whitewater Fashion Focus show last night.

Gail Kaneswaren strikes a pose on the Focus Fashion runway last night.

Corina Grant at Whitewater last night.

A bit of coverage from outside of Dublin now (but remaining within The Pale). Last night saw the Fashion Focus event launch at the brand spanking new Whitewater Shopping Centre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. It’s the biggest shopping centre outside Dublin. So there.

Ireland’s fashion ambassadors, Caroline Morahan and Pam Flood, were on hand to act as a pair of well informed, glamourous MCs. I hope those girls like their jobs. Can you imagine being pushed out to front every fashion event in the country when in actual fact your favourite outfit is a tracksuit?

But I digress, as Terry Keane used to write (or did she?). Running from Friday 28^th April to Monday 1^st May Whitewater’s Fashion Focus event will celebrate all things fashion and beauty related. Fashion conscious shoppers can look forward to fashion shows each day from featuring Ireland’s top models. Customers can preview Spring Summer lines from retailers including a|wear, Bershka, Clarks, Coast, Debenhams, Espirit, H&M, Jane Norman, Karen Millen, Oasis and Pull and Bear.

Not only are the good folk of Newbridge lucky enough to have the second largest shopping centre outside Dublin (AND the HQ of my favourite luxury brand, Newbridge Silverware), but phase two of the centre will be launched in September 2006. This will comprise a first for the Irish market with the introduction of a new specialist boutique promenade known as ‘The Avenue’. This will run along one external side of the centre and will act as a dynamic civic space for both the residents of Newbridge and visitors to the centre. Swanky.

There were a pleathora of VIPs there last night, but as I actually wasn’t there myself I can’t say who they were. But, dear readers, top Irish models Corina Grant, Gail Kaneswaren and Jenny Lee Masterson were all there, and that’s all we really care about, isn’t it?

I hope your bank holiday weekend will be as good as mine.

Keith Duffy Celebrity Golf Classic

The stunning Myleene Klass pictured at the gala dinner on Monday evening.

Coronation Street stars Susie Baker and Sally Lindsay enjoy the HB Magnums and champagne reception at the Keith Duffy Celebrity Golf Classic gala dinner in Citywest Hotel on Monday evening.

Ex-Boyzone member and Corrie star Keith Duffy gathered together some of his celebrity chums on Monday for his annual Celebrity Pro Golf Classic and Gala Dinner, which took place at the Citywest Hotel and Country Club. The day commenced with a host of names, including infamous cad James Hewitt, Steve Staunton and actor Johnny Briggs taking to the course. (I expect that Johnny will be playing a lot of golf in the future, since his character Mike Baldwin was killed off Corrie.)

The gala dinner, now in its fourth year, is a firm favourite among charity glitz set, making it a key date in the social diary. The evening kicked off with a lavish champagne reception where guests were indulged by the irresistible temptations of an exclusive Magnum chocolate fondue fountain and the brand new HB Magnum Mint ice creams. With magnums all round, the girls were well impressed.

The stunning and ever glamorous hostess Lisa Duffy set the tone of the evening, in a fab knee length white dress which flowed effortlessly. Lisa Fitzpatrick was a vision, as she graced the red carpet in stunning Grecian style multicoloured ball gown. Beautiful TV presenter and musician Myleene Klass encapsulated natural elegance in a stunning powder blue sleeveless floor length ball gown. She was more than happy to showcase her stunning diamond engagement ring to friends and later joked that she had left her Irish fiancé, Graham Quinn, at home to plan the wedding.

Others out in force to support this worthy cause were Coronation Street stars Susie Baker (Bev Unwin) and Sally Lindsay (Shelley), gravel voiced former Eastenders star and Celebrity Love Island contestant Michael Greco, celebrity magician Keith Barry, Sinead Ryan and Joanne Byrne and UTV’s Gerry Kelly.

Among the deserving charities to benefit from the golf event and gala evening were Irish Autism Action and autism charities SPEAC and ABACAS. Pauline McLynn and Deirdre O’Kane saved the night as they stepped in to MC the event after comedian Des Bishop fell ill.

Maybe his recent public gaffs are a symptom of Foot In Mouth disease?

Girls Pepe for the weekend

Sienna Miller and J.P Gallison in the latest Pepe Jeans campaign.

Keeping abreast of the latest fashion trends, as I like to do, I ventured out to the Pepe store in Dundrum yesterday. Their latest campaign shoot features Sienna Miller, who will be the face of Pepe for the next two years. The campaign, which also stars male model J.R. Gallison, was beautifully captured by photographer Mikael Jansson and shot on location at Paradise Cove in Malibu.

Vibrant, summery colours feature heavily throughout for girls, with fitted skirts and dresses accompanied by boho style white tops. Casual, deconstructed blazers are perfect for louche boys who secretly care. As always, Pepe come to the fore with their great selection of jeanswear.

Anyhoo, while I was there I bumped into two of Ireland’s top TV totty. Recently voted the most stylish woman in the country, the gorgeous Pamela Flood was looking fresh and relaxed, despite her hectic schedule. Ireland AM presenter Maura Derrane was seeking opinions on her purchases, though she needn’t have bothered. She looked great.

Both girls were abuzz about this weekend’s Smart Telecom TV Now Awards which will be hosted on Saturday night in the Mansion House. It’s the second glitzy event within a month courtesy of publisher Michael O’Doherty. Ambassador you are spoiling us.

Being diplomatic, as I am, I didn’t dare mention the fact that the two girls are pitted against each other in two categories, Best TV Show and Best Female TV Presenter.

May the best woman win.

Tropical

Laura Dwyer and Tomas McKenna pictured at the Herbal Essences party last week.

Flower Girls

Dearbhla Hogan and Julie Ann Furnival enjoy the recent Herbal Essences Rainforest flower party.

Paradise Found

The Printworks Gallery at the Morrison was transformed into a tropical paradise recently with top florists Appassionata (who were formerly with McQueens of London) shaking their magical design flair upon the venue for the Herbal Essences Rainforest Flowers launch party.

Not only were we surrounded by exotic blooms like cassia, banana flowers, vanilla flowers and red ginger, but mixologist Paul Lambert of Diep Le Shaker created three bespoke Rainforest Flowers Cocktails for the occasion. Beauty therapist Gillian Fox was on hand to offer Indian head massages and the LA Make Up Academy were in full makeover mode for a few lucky girls.

Throw in a few scantily clad models and, yeah, it was as close to paradise for many (although I used the shampoo a few days later and you could easily recreate said paradise in you own bathroom at your own convenience).

Among those I spotted at the party were Norman Pratt, Tamara Gervasoni and Roisin Tierney – Crowe (who has just recently joined Slattery Communications), DJ Mo Kelly, Keith Gill and Nalini Nathan, Olivia Morahan, Gina Kelly and Anna Lavery with Nick Costello, who are busy with the up coming Irish premiere of Mission Impossible III, which will be hosted next week.

Tom Cruise will most likely not be in attendance.

Irvine Welch pictured at the launch of the new Mill Theatre in Dundrun last week.

Through the Mill

Internationally acclaimed author and playwright, Irvine Welsh (of Trainspotting fame) flew into Dublin last weekend unveiling Dundrum Town Centre’s €14 million state of the art theatre, The Mill Theatre. Irvine was joined by renowned singer and actress Honor Heffernan and actor and stylist Graham Cruz.

The opening of the theatre represents a milestone for Dundrum and has been funded by the developers of the Town Centre as part of its development plan for Dundrum. Box office sales for The Mill Theatre will commence on Tuesday April 18^th 2006.

Irvine, who actually lives in Rathmines Dublin 6, is based in the UK at the moment putting his own screenplay, “The Man Who Walks” into action and directing the first video for the group Keane. His play “Babylon Heights” will premier in the Dundrum Town Centre Mill theatre in August - and he is thrilled as the space is ideal for it.

“Babylon Heights”, based on a true story, is set behind the scenes at the making of the Wizard of Oz told from the perspective of four munchkins. As the munchkins were played by four tiny people, one of whom was from Ireland, the cast treated them as second class citizens and their lives were pretty miserable during the making of the film. Judy Garland even referred to them as "drunken, debauched idiots".

The theatre will hold its gala opening night on Thursday, 4^th May 2006 when Uachtaran na hEireann Mary McAleese will officiate and attend its maiden performance. The Mill Theatre launches in style with Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town”, which has been secured as the opening show. Though first performed in 1938, “Our Town” was set at the turn of the twentieth century and tackles the big issues of life and death uncompromisingly, counseling the viewer to relish the moment, to enjoy the fleeting moments of every day life and implores the audience to look one another in the eye.

The theatre boasts 206 seats in its main auditorium and 50 seats in the lounge area which will be used for lunchtime performances. It also has a café and a bar, 2 rehearsal rooms and 2 art exhibition spaces. It is also equipped with impressive state of the art technical equipment, including lighting production, sound production, communications systems and a motorised raise and lower system.

Another great reason to head Southside to Dundrum, the Mecca for, well, almost everything.

It's All Good

TV star Kathryn Thomas with Shona Murray at the Urban Outfitters Good Friday bash.

Great Friday

It wasn’t a good Friday, it was a bloody great Friday. One of the only days (bar Christmas Day) that the pubs and clubs in ballygobackways Ireland are closed. Ironically though, it’s a night that sees some of the best house parties take place across the land. Indeed, the queues outside off licences (or liquor stores, if you will) on Holy Thursday are not to be reckoned with.

The good Samaritans at that bastion of cool, Urban Outfitters, had a brainwave to host a monster bash in their store on Good Friday evening. The perfect way to warm up proceedings I thought, as did about four hundred others, such was the massive attendance. Always a handy way to gauge fashion trends, the guests at an Urban Outfitters shindig have their fingers on the pulse.

Celebrating Good Fashion and Good Lifestyle, the guests cooled down with Coors Lite and got hot under the collar with River Rock Emotions mixed with quality Stoli vodka. Music was provided by the likes of Porn Trauma and Philth on the decks at Carbon music (where do they come up with those names?).

Blonde scribe Marisa Mackle was there with her NBF, singer and party girl Jeanette Cronin, of You’re A Star infamy. The pair met while appearing on the TG4 reality TV show Ni Gaeilgoir Me. Jeanette is now full time resident in Baile Atha Cliatha so expect to see/hear much more about her!

Also looking effortlessly cool on the evening were Jonothan McCrea (off to Barcelona this week), Killian O’Sullivan (still clicking his heels in RTE’s Celebrity Jigs ‘n Reels) and Channel 6 presenter, and Eddie Irvine ex., Michelle Doherty (who raced straight from the studio).

Model turned author Dylan Townsend (little brother of super star Stuart) was on form and fresh from the joys of having his first book published. TV presenter Kathryn Thomas looked fab in a wrap around number, no doubt planning her next excursion abroad. Roxanne Parker, model Ben Redmond, Nicola O’Riordan, Sean Montague and Brendan Scully and stylist Aisling Farinella were also in attendance.

And nearly everyone I spoke with were off to bigger and better parties. I guess we were all in some sort of Good Friday agreement.

The Dark side

Magician Dave Knight trys to trick Keith Foran of AfterDark.ie at the launch party last night.

After Dark ...

The line of fired up chariots parked outside Cocoon last night gave an indication to the type of party it was. The fired up chariots (as opposed to chariots of fire) being a Ferrari, a couple of Range Rovers and a plethora of Beemers. The "IT" crowd were out en force.

Guzzling champagne and Vodka Red Bull, the assembled guests were there to celebrate the launch of an exciting new website, afterdark.ie. The brainchild of boys-about0town Keith Foran and Ivano Caffola, the site aims to be an entertainment portal for the party hard core, those clubbers and socialites who keep the lights burning seven nights a week.

Afterdark.ie brings together the top clubs and pubs in the city (including SIN, Cocoon, Rush, PoD and Renards) and creates an online community for those beautiful people who frequent them. Forums, competitions, news items and photo galleries have already attracted a steady flow of party people to the site. Keith informed me that they’ve already had over 16,000 unique visitors.

Some of the boldface names I spotted were top model Glenda Gilson (who was sporting semi-curly hair again), Richard Kavanagh, Triona McCarthy, Alan Amsby, Trevor Musgrave, Social & Personal publisher PJ Gibbons and Cindy Caffola (looking sexy in a black trilby).

American businessman Pat Brennan was in town from San Francisco. He’s currently working on a new restaurant project here in the city. Designer Nicky Wallace was there too, as was Virginia Macari, who has just become my neighbour and moved into her plush new apartment at Smithfield Market.

Post-Cocoon the posse continued on to Lillies, though it was well after dark by the time they left.

[The members launch party for afterdark.ie takes place this weekend at twentyone.]

Super Star

He may not be Jesus Christ, but he sure is set to be a Super Star. John Maher, lead singer of rock group Jaded Sun.

Not So Jaded

Jaded Sun, the rock n’ roll outfit from Dublin, will soon embark on their debut Irish tour, taking in most of Irelands top music venues across the country. Long over due but justified in the delay, as the hard working band have been reaping the fruits of their labour with a very successful 2005.

Jaded Sun formed in 2002 and recorded their critically acclaimed debut EP “Raw” in 2004. This launched their rock profile to a national stage with the debate on whether download charts should be chart tracked, as their song Raw was the most down loaded track on Ireland’s premier down load charts CPU. The track broke all down load records in Ireland, with the track staying at the top of the charts for almost 30 weeks. Also in 2004 the band reached the Irish final of the Global Battle of the Bands, which the industry put them as one of the biggest prospects in Irish music.

The band were signed by Sian Records in May 2005, and went straight into the recording studio with Irelands top rock producers Chris O’Brien and Graham Murphy, with Chris being recognised as one of the most accomplished Irish rock producers ever, producing the likes of Aslan, Hot House Flowers, Adam Clayton and Boom Town Rats. In fact he even went as far to say “John (lead singer with Jaded Sun) was arguably one of the best lead vocalists that he had ever worked with or ever seen”.

Already the band have been making a name for themselves on the international scene, as they have been asked to write the theme song for a movie remake of Apocolypse Snow, which was a cult snowboarding movie in the 80’s, with the film getting Hollywood backing and also the director being Didier Lafond, who co-directed the blockbuster Terminal Velocity starring Charlie Sheen, so this is an opportunity that could catapult the band into world stardom.

Jaded Sun play Eamon Doran’s on May 6^th.

For more info check out www.jaded-sun.com

Peter Mark VIP Style Awards

The glitz and glam, elegance and style was just out of this world as over 250 guests, including nominees and celebrity guests, arrived at the Peter Mark / VIP Style Awards Gala Dinner last night for the unveiling of this year’s most stylish woman.

In association with Peter Mark, this prestigious accolade has been voted for by VIP readers from an original short list of twenty well-known, stylish Irish women created by Editor of VIP, Emer O’Reilly-Hyland, Gary Kavanagh, Creative Director of Peter Mark and VIP Contributing Editor and model Andrea Roche.

Style Award nominees Rosanna Davison, celebrity chef Rachel Allen, TV3’s Lorraine Keane and Maura Derrane, Caroline Morahan, mother and daughter duo Miriam and Georgina Ahern, Kathryn Thomas and Linda Martin were among the guests who graced the red carpet at the ultra-stylish event at the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin.

Also attending on the night, and enjoying the free flowing Bollinger champagne, were Michael O’Doherty, publisher of VIP magazine; Mark Keaveney, Chairman of the Peter Mark Group; leading fashion designer Synan O’Mahoney; previous Award winners RTE’s Sharon Ni Bheolain, Sky Newsreader Grainne Seoige and Celia Holman-Lee (nominated again this year) with her husband Gerry; Miss Ireland Aoife Cogan and model Ruth Griffin.

The Afternoon Show girls were out in force with Blaithnaid Ni Chofaigh and Anna Nolan in attendance. Style gurus and fellow nominees, TV presenter Laura Woods, model Glenda Gilson and Annette Rocca all added glamour to the night. Debbie O’Donnell looked great as did her pals Karl Broderick and Alan Hughes who cut a dash in complimenting suits. The Lipsett sisters Sarah, Avila and Roz looked elegant as did their good friend Astrid Brennan.

Lorraine Keane was voted most stylish woman on the evening by the guests in attendance and was presented with a beautiful diamond pendant from Appleby. Coincidently it was also the occasion of her birthday so it made the prize all the more special.

Also receiving a special mention was TV presenter and columnist Amanda Brunker, who was presented with a bunch of flowers. It was Amanda’s first public appearance since she gave birth to her son and she looked positively radiant.

“It’s just to say ‘welcome back to the party’!” declared publisher Michael O’Doherty, who kept proceedings flowing with his witty one liners and caustic observations. He really should have his own show.

However, scooping the top prize of most stylish woman of the year was TV presenter Pamela Flood who looked stunning in a long black dress and was accompanied by her beau Michael Sharpe. She was truly shocked as she thanked the many stylists and wardrobe assistants who, she says, help her look stylish every day.

Pamela received a magnificent crystal trophy which was designed by Louise Kennedy for Tipperary Crystal (with each guest receiving a mini version in their generous goodie bags), as well as an extensive collection of other prizes. A truly deserving winner, Pamela, who is also a former Miss Ireland, had been nominated in previous years but this was her first time to scoop the top accolade.

Among the other finely turned out guests I spotted were Christian Stokes, Lord and Lady Mountcharles, Norma Smurfit, Camilla Fearon, Wynn and Shirley Beere, Karen Koster and Martin King of TV3, Ciaran Sweeney, Eileen Murphy, Collette Fitzpatrick and Joanne Byrne.

After the awards I took a car into town with Michael O’Doherty, who was accompanied by gorgeous TG4 presenters Aoife Ni Thursaigh and Sile Ni Bhraonain. We all ventured into Renards where we continued the party into the early hours and were joined by many of the Style Awards guests.

A great night was had by all, but I can tell you it was far from stylish I was feeling this morning….

Ant Attack!

My friend Etain Boyd and I pictured with Ant McPartlin at the Alien Autopsy premiere after party in JM Keatings.

Alien Autopsy Irish Premiere

There was a large crowd assembled on each side of the red carpet outside cineworld last night for the Irish premiere of the movie Alien Autopsy. There were screams of joy as those loveable cheeky chappies Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (or Ant & Dec as they are known as), stars of the movie, arrived to greet their fans.

Based on true events, Alien Autopsy tells the story of two best friends Ray (Dec) and Gary (Ant), who whilst on a trip to the US, stumble upon a piece of top secret military film which will change the way mankind perceives his place in the universe for ever. Realising that this is their one chance at the big time they borrow money from an eccentric drug baron and crop circle fanatic, Voros (Gotz Otto), and return to the UK with the footage.

What ensues is a media frenzy which catapults Ray and Gary into the limelight, but the two of them have an even bigger secret and if the truth got out their lives could be in serious danger. Alien Autopsy is the story of two unlikely lads from London who became icons of UFO’ology, a story that has never until now been told.

The premiere was attended Director Jonny Campbell (Phoenix Nights, Shameless). Producer Barnaby Thompson (Valiant, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest) and Executive Producer Michael Kuhn (Stage Beauty, Kinsey, I Heart Huckabees) were also there.

Among those at the screening I spotted Devon Murray, Emma Jane Power, Sara James, Mark O’Halloran, Quentin Fottrell and Hilary Cahill, Anna Lavery and Ray Shah.

At a VIP after party in the swanky JM Keatings the guests included Alan Hughes and Karl Broderick, Etain Boyd, Brian Dowling, Ray D’Arcy and Nick Costello, Brian Ormond and Bill Hughes, who informed me that his new show Celebrity Gigs and Reels took a 43% share of the viewership last week.

Alien Autopsy opens in cinemas nationwide today.

Fashion fusion

The fashion set were out in force for the Nokia Young Fashion Designer Award 2006, which took place on Tuesday evening in the stunning chq venue at the IFSC. With a catwalk of over 100 feet in length, it was apparently the biggest fashion show since the supermodels Show at the Point 3 years ago.

Deirdre McQuillan, fashion editor of the Irish Times and one of the judges of the contest, jetted in that morning from Sierra Leone to attend the event. The other judges in attendance included fashion designer John Rocha and Brown Thomas buyer Karen Higgins. The show was hosted by vivacious TV star Kathryn Thomas.

All three winners were students from the Limerick School of Art and Design. Rebeca Garcia, originally from northern Spain, was crowned Nokia Young Fashion Designer of the Year. Rebeca received €5,000, media profiling opportunities and a Nokia handset from the L’Amour collection. She will also get the chance to showcase her winning designs in BT2 on Grafton St.

Fionnuala Donnelly, from Meath, and Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, from Offaly, were the two runners up. The event showcased two outfits each from the twelve finalists alongside and the Spring/Summer collections from judges, John Rocha and Joanne Hynes, and top fashion store BT2.

Three one-off Nokia L’Amour Collection phone accessories were also unveiled at the fashion show. John Rocha created a black jet beaded pouch for the 7360. Joanne Hynes used one of her signature oversized necklaces, into which she has incorporated a 7380, using crochet and hand-painted wooden beads. John McCormack, last year’s winner of the Nokia Young Fashion Designer of the Year Award, used his signature tailoring to create a taupe sash designed to hold a 7360.

Guests enjoyed Boru L’Amour cocktails, champagne and Evian water at the pre show reception – well, water is de rigor for a models good skin. Mingling in the VIP area were author Marisa Mackle (who was full of news about her adventures on TV show Ni Gaelgoir Me), Fair City stars Orlaith Rafter and Claudia Carrol, Lucia Evans, Mike O’Loughlin and Paul Trainer, Sian Gray of Nokia, Gareth Gleeson and Blaithnaid Ni Cofaigh. Fashionistas in attendance included Cathy O’Connor, an imaginatively dress Graham Cruz, Sonia Mohlich and designer Peter O’Brien.

Apart from being functioning mobile phones, Nokia’s three new contemporary handsets, known as the L’Amour collection: 7360, 7370 and 7380, have become fashion accessories in their own right. The in house design team used materials such as amber, ceramic, turquoise, silk and enamel for inspiration. Craft techniques, such as enamelling and etching, added a creative spark to the graphics, materials, finishes and colours selected for each model in the collection.

Talk is cheap, but you’ll look a million dollars with one of those stuck to your ear.

TV presenter Sheena Keane launches the new Frusi range from HB at The Penthouse in the Fitzwilliam Hotel yesterday.

+++ bits + pieces +++

- TV presenter Sheena Keane was positively blooming at the launch of HB’s latest product, Frusi, in the penthouse of the Fitzwilliam Hotel on Tuesday. Just as Amanda Brunker has had her baby, we can look forward to the delivery of Sheena’s bundle of joy very soon.

The Health Squad presenter, who is 7 months pregnant, was delighted to lend her support to the Frusi launch, a product which will help those with a sweet tooth to keep the calorie intake to a minimum. Made from frozen yogurt, real fruit pieces and wholegrain cereal, Frusi is being only launched in Ireland and Belguim this summer. A massive marketing campaign swings into action very soon, so keep an eye out for what will be the coolest treat this year.

- The must have accessory this summer is a ticket for the upcoming Garden Party - a music event in a beautiful 18th Century walled garden at Ballinlough Castle, Athboy, County Meath. The event takes place on Bank Holiday Sunday, June 4^th and will kick start the biggest summer of music Ireland has seen.

The line up is an eclectic mix of quality artists, pulling from a range of musical genres. Topping the bill are the legendary 2 Many DJs making a highly anticipated return to the Irish midlands with their inimitable, mashed-up sound. Complimenting perfectly comes the undisputed reggae legends Toots & The Maytals, last seen blowing the roof off the main stage at last year’s Electric Picnic. Special guest Andy Cato needs no introduction. The man who is one half of global phenomenon Groove Armada was the obvious choice for providing a seminal soundtrack to a memorable party with his enchanting, quirky work. Asian Dub Foundation’s drum‘n’bass & hip hop mesh will add an urban touch to the mix. Other artists include the Bodytonic crew, Alexander Robotnik, Greg Wilson of Hacienda fame and the inimitable Guilty Pleasures, which I had the pleasure of experiencing last year in London.

Check out www.pod.ie for info. Tickets on sale now through usual agents and Ticketmaster.

- 20 first class theatrical productions from the USA, UK, Canada, Israel, South Africa and Ireland will showcase in twelve city centre venues in the third International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival from May 1st to 14th next.

Launched in the Mansion House in the presence of Lord Mayor Ald. Catherine Byrne and their Excellencies the South African and Israeli Ambassadors, the festival is unique in Europe, and possibly the world, and yet attracted no funding from national Arts agencies. Support was given by the British Council, Failte Ireland and Dublin City Council as well as an impressive range of internationally based arts organisations.

"I am very pleased to announce today details of the biggest international gay related theatrical event ever to be held in the world. The festival is certainly unique in Europe and this year 19 of the 20 plays presented will never have been seen before in Ireland. This is a radical, exciting, entertaining and innovative programme of theatre that places Dublin firmly at the centre of international gay theatre" said Artistic Director Brian Merriman.

Check out www.gaytheatre.ie for more info.

- Newbridge Silverware recently confirmed that they will once again be title sponsors of this year’s Rose of Tralee contest. The announcement was made by Newbridge Silverware’s Phil Donnelly at an event recently in The Westbury Hotel.

The reigning Rose of Tralee Aoibhin Ni Shuilleabhain, who will relinquish her title in August when the festival takes place, looked amazing in a figure hugging red dress and was full of great stories about the past year.

TV and radio star Ray D’Arcy, who was also in attendance, has also been confirmed as the MC for the contest, which last year was the third most watched TV show in Ireland. This year Newbridge Silverware will also sponsor the Escort of the Year competition.

- This coming Saturday sees a major charity collection taking place on Dublin's Henry St., O’Connell St., O’Connell Bridge and Grafton St. areas. All money collected will go directly to the building and equipping of a school canteen that will feed 500 poverty stricken children
(as well as elderly and AIDS sufferers) in Cape Town, South Africa.


The Cape Town Canteen Fund is being entirely organised by volunteers who have donated their time and skills to construct it when they travel there on the 1st of July. The project is the brainchild of 23 year old Mayo girl Marie Sammin, who previously completed volunteer work in the area.


The group is aiming to collect €50,000 so if you see them shaking their buckets dig deep for this worthy cause.

You are my sunshine

The stunning Lisa Harrison who will represent Ireland in the International Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest.

Ireland’s Miss Hawaiian Tropic

Last week model and socialite Lisa Harrison was formally announced as Ireland’s Miss Hawaiian Tropic 2006 at The Penthouse, The Clarion Hotel, Dublin. Lisa will represent her country in the Annual Miss Hawaiian Tropic International Pageant in Las Vegas in April 2006.

Thousands of beautiful contestants participate regionally in countless preliminary pageants all year long across the globe and this year Lisa was chosen by Hawaiian Tropic themselves. Winners then move on to the National pageants where they compete to represent their country at the infamous Miss Hawaiian Tropic International Pageant Finals at the lavish Treasure Island Hotel and Casino from April 13^th through April 17^th, 2006.

This will be the prestigious pageant’s 23^rd year bringing the most poised, charismatic, and of course gorgeous women in the world together all on one stage. The absolute best of the best are represented in this competition, and judges will have a hard time deciding who to crown Miss Hawaiian Tropic International® 2006.

“I’m honoured to be representing Ireland at Miss Hawaiian Tropic 2006. It will be a wonderful experience competing alongside women from all over the world. I’m grateful to Hawaiian Tropic for choosing me to represent Ireland in Las Vegas”, commented Lisa, who recently became engaged to Mark Kershaw of A1 Team Ireland.

“We are really proud that Lisa will be representing Ireland in Las Vegas. She will certainly be a strong contender for the title of Ms. Hawaiian Tropic International 2006”, say’s Natasha Ginty, Hawaiian Tropic Europe Inc.

Lisa, who is a former Miss Northern Ireland finalist, along with the other competitors will girls have a jam packed schedule including: a myriad of photo shoots, extravagant parties, and panic filled rehearsals all leading up to the one special evening where girls must dress to impress and show off for the judges one last time.