A lone piper, dressed in kilt and knee socks, serenaded the arriving guests. As evening gowns swished over the lawn, Mick Maher, of the Black Raven Pipe Band, played, and the sun sank slowly behind the gardens of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.
Delegates from all over the world celebrated the last night of The Worldwide Ireland Funds' 2002 conference at a black-tie gala dinner, preceded by champagne on the hill overlooking the city.
"When they come to Ireland and see the results of their generosity, it just galvanises them," explained Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chair of the Ireland Funds in America.
Sen Maurice Hayes is chairman of the Ireland Funds' advisory board, which, he says, acts as "the broker between the projects and the donors".
"They do hours and hours of work to make sure the money goes to the right place. We have never put a dime wrong," said Bren- nan Glucksman.
Mary Davis, chief executive of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2003, with her husband, Julian Davis, and Special Olympics' board member Rita Lawlor and friend Frankie McMahon, beamed with delight, having received funding.
During the visit, delegates visited some of the non-profit organisations that have been awarded grants, such as The Ark (the children's cultural centre in Temple Bar), Belvedere Youth Club and Fatima Mansions.
"They were absolutely mesmerised," said Brennan Glucksman.
Another highlight of the visit was at O'Reilly Hall in UCD, where the poet and writer, Dermot Healy, author of Bend For Home, was presented with the Ireland Funds' literary award of €25,000.
More friends met up on the lawn of Kilmainham. Elizabeth Shannon, wife of the late William Shannon, former US ambassador to Ireland, with her son, David Shannon and Maria Madden, of Dublin, chatted to friends, including Bill Vincent, a Kerry man and president of the Ireland Fund in Monaco.
Tim and Jacqueline Boland from Sligo, greeted venture capitalist Axel Zdarsky, from Palm Beach and a regular visitor to the west. Another venture capitalist, Bill Walsh, of Mayo stock, with his wife, Jane Walsh, chatted to Dr Tom Mitchell, former TCD Provost and his wife, Lynn Mitchell.
Ulrik Baggehansen, an entrepreneur from Denmark, with his wife, Belinda Ryan, from Carrigtohill, Co Cork, who are now back home living in Kinsale, enjoyed the evening. Úna Claffey, former RTÉ political correspondent who is now adviser to the Taoiseach, was wearing emerald green.
Then the Macnas drums began to beat, and Sen Hayes went to greet the President, Mrs McAleese, and her husband, Dr Martin McAleese.