Cannonball 5

Vroom: 1. Rachel Allen and husband Isaac; 2. Andrea Roche; 3. Liam Cunningham. (Pix. BME)

South Anne Street in Dublin 2 was a sight to behold as high performance cars and high performance party people descended on Indie Dhaba restaurant to officially launch CANNONBALL 5.

CANNONBALL is apparently the largest organised road trip in Europe and the most exciting motoring and social event of the year with most of the world’s top mark cars 160 in total such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren, Porsche, Masseratti, Rolls Royce and Bentley.  This year the start line for CANNONBALL will be at Mondello race track in Kildare on Friday August 23rd

Fans can experience the thrill of the chase as the finest cars on the planet are put through their paces, there will be a host of celebrities and Ryan Tubridy will broadcast his 2fm morning show live from Mondello at the start line.

Over 100,000 people will line the streets as CANNONBALL roars through towns and counties in spectacular style with festivals and Gatherings all over the country.  CANNONBALL 5 will raise money for Laura Lynn which supports children with life limiting conditions and their families by providing high quality transitional care, home support, respite, crisis and end-of-life care.
 

Monster DNA

Sound: 1. Roz Purcell Philip Nathan of JDM Products; 2. Shane Lennon and Carlos Munilla; 3. Fernanda Simplicio and Brendan Duffy. (Pix. Andres Poveda)

Dublin’s music fans and socialites gathered on Wednesday, 24^th July, 2013 in Everleigh Gardens, Harcourt Street at a party of Pure Monster Sound™ to launch the new Monster DNA headphones. On the night, music enthusiasts enjoyed beats by DJ Dara Quilty from Spin 1038 and the phenomenal sound quality of Monster DNAs.

Guests on the night included top model Roz Purcell, Vicky White, assistant marketing manager with Monster Europe Limited, Mary Scott of Headchef fame, Irish Leinster rugby player Devin Toner, blogger Lorna Weightman and Philip Nathan from JDM Products, the Irish distributor of Monster Headphones.

Rooted in the technology behind music, Monster is dedicated to improving the music listening experience, so with the launch of Monster DNA headphones, Monster brings music listeners a sound that is as powerful and striking as the bold design of the headphone itself.

Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby

Good going: 1. Ally Garvey; 2. Celia Holman Lee and Breeda McLoughlin; 3. Claudine Keane.. (Pix. KH)

Deborah Barrett from Lehenaghmore, Co. Cork, was announced as this year’s Most Stylish Lady in association with Boodles, at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

As always, the fashion stakes were high as hundreds of Ireland’s most fashionable ladies put their best foot forward to impress this year’s judging panel, which was led by award winning actress and Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan.

Other notable attendees at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby were tennis ace, Ana Ivanovic who is a brand ambassador for Dubai Duty Free, film director Jim Sheridan, UK talk show host Jeremy Kyle, Claudine Keane and with her mother Joan Palmer, Xpose presenter Aisling O’Loughlin, television veteran Gay Byrne along with singer Bryan Kennedy

Michelle was joined by a team of expert judges charged with the enviable task of crowning this year’s winner, which included Breeda McLoughlin, wife of the Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, Melanie Morris, Editor at IMAGE Magazine, James Amos of Boodles and Ally Garvey, The Face of the Curragh Racecourse and Miss Kildare 2013.

23,407 attended the Curragh on derby day, 900 up on last year’s attendance figure. The full festival included several ancillary events which ran on and off the track including a Golf Classic which was held on Thursday the 27th of June at the Palmer Ryder Cup course at The K Club and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball, also held at The K Club on Friday 28th of June which was in aid of Irish Autism Action.

Si by Giorgio Armani

Si signor: 1. Charles de Montalivet; 2. Claire Byrne;  3. Norman Pratt and Elaine Butler-Doolin. (Pix. BME)

A host of Ireland’s leading lights from the world of TV, radio and print gathered at an exclusive evening to unveil Giorgio Armani’s latest female scent, Sì, at The Clarence Hotel.

The most anticipated launch of the year, not only because of its ambassadress, Cate Blanchett, but because Mr Armani has spoken openly about how he has worked on the scent to make it the best ever from the Haute Couture House. Chic, sultry, intense and soft at the same time, Sì is a chypre scent reinvented, lingering on the skin and captivating the senses.

Guests on the evening were treated to an exclusive preview of the campaign film featuring Blanchett, in which we see her saying Sì, meaning ‘Yes’ in Italian. She declares, “Sì to strength / Sì to dream / Sì to freedom / Sì to love / Sì tomyself”.

Welcomed on the evening by Giorgio Armani Parfums General Manager Charles de Montalivet, guests included a series or high profile names including publishers Norah Casey, who has just announced she will step away from her role at Newstalk to spend more time with her son; Saturday Night Show host Brendan O’Connor, may have been outnumbered amongst the ladies but he caught up with Montalivet on other important matters, specifically The Lions Tour.

The very gorgeous Triona McCarthylooked fab as she stepped out leaving baby Maxim, who turned two months last week, in the very capable hands of her ‘White’ beau, Will. Triona swapped baby stores with TV3 producer Debbie O’Donnell, whose second baby Sam is also a few months old.

Darren Kennedy.  Darren, who has been busy filming in the UK for the past while, spoke about his return to Dublin for the coming weeks, as he is in town filming his upcoming documentary for RTE 2. As part of the reality bites series, Kennedy will take a light hearted look at virginity in Ireland in 2013.

Paolo's new book

Belonging: 1. Marian Kenny and Paolo Tullio; 2. Chris de Burgh and Roz Flanagan; 3. Albhie Lee and Michael Hayes. (Pix. Garret White)

The legend that is Paolo Tullio launched his newest novel 'Longing & Belonging' at a reception in Cafe H recently. Hosted by Harry and Rita Crosbie the event was attended by a host of well known faces including Chris de Burgh,  Michael Colgan of The Gate Theatre, writer Kathy Gilfillan, designer Lainey Keogh, film director John Boorman and of course Paolo himself.

Guests enjoyed a selection of Mediterranean canapés with Italian wines and heard speeches from Harry Crosbie, Michael Colgan and Chris de Burgh as they celebrated their good friends new book.

'Longing & Belonging' is available online as a paperback or ebook at on Amazon and Createspace.com - https://www.createspace.com/3930282

Speaking on the launch of his newest novel, Paolo Tullio said “I am delighted to be launching my new novel, it has been a while since my last book and it is exciting to have my latest offering finished and ready to go! The book draws on my experience of emigration from Southern Italy, so I think there will be many resonances that will echo the Irish diaspora”.

Paolo Tullio is a journalist and broadcaster, best known as a resident critic on RTE's 'The Restaurant' and as the restaurant reviewer for the Irish Independent and his regular musings on Newstalk radio. He has previously published 'North of Naples, South of Rome', which became a six-part TV series, 'Mushroom Man' and a cookery book 'Paolo Tullio Cooks Italian'.