Getting into a bit of a lather

MAYBE it's bad mindedness but there was something decidedly unusual about

Thelma Mansfield's interview with Michelle Smith at the People of the Year Awards in the Burlington Hotel this week. It was a bit stilted in a way that none of the other interviews were, and the real humdinger came at the end. After a few awkward questions about swimming and the Olympics, the chat ended with what seemed a very forced question about - of all things - hair. "Tell us Michelle, how do you get your hair into a swimming cap?"

It's difficult to imagine Sean Kelly, or Damon Hill in the same situation: being asked about hair care - but then they don't have a promotional sponsorship with a brand of shampoo.

Other than that, the evening was extraordinarily moving. Graham Turley's speech, accepting the award on behalf of his murdered wife Veronica Guerin, brought tears to the eyes of the 800 diners in the ballroom.

When RTE's cameras were switched off the Papal Nuncio, Luciano Storero said grace before dinner - a rare occurrence these, days at any black tie event. The dinner was attended by the Taoiseach, John Bruton, and his wife Finola, who braved the elements in a short, strappy cream coloured beaded number; the new Canadian Ambassador Michael Phillips and his wife Oonagh; Joe Moran from the ESB, which sponsored the event and, Frank Flannery from Rehab, which co ordinates the awards.

Mary Redmond from the Irish Hospice Foundation won a well deserved award and remarked on the effectiveness of her organisation's fund raising efforts - its next event is on December 2nd in the RDS, when models' agent Eddie Shanahan stages Models For Charity, a fashion show extravaganza where everyone works for free and every penny collected goes to the Hospice.