Despite the sudden arrival of British PM, Tony Blair, in Dublin on Tuesday night, only a couple of participants had to pull out of the table quiz in Buswells Hotel, organised by some Leinster House political journalists in aid of an Irish aid convoy and 106 volunteers setting off for Grozova Orphanage near Minsk in Belarus next month. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, after leaving Blair, dropped in to make a speech and was gratified to learn that the majority of contestants had correctly answered the question on his year of birth.
Those who took part included FF's Pat Carey, FG's Frances FitzGerald, Olivia Mitchell, Monica Barnes and Phil Hogan and Labour's Jan O'Sullivan, as well as dozens of civil servants and party workers. The Tanaiste, Mary Harney, and Minister for Health, Micheal Martin, came after other engagements to lend support. Olivia O'Leary was quiz master.
The first prize, 3Com electronic organisers, went to a team led by media consultant, Tim Ryan. Second was Senator Therese Ridge's team and in the tiebreaker for third place between the FG and Labour press offices, FG won. But the evening did not pass totally smoothly. Debate over the correct answer to the question of who was the oldest deputy elected in 1997 remained unresolved. Most contestants thought it was Donegal's Harry Blaney, but the organisers said it was Cork's Liam Burke. Both were born in February 1928.
Tuesday's quiz cost £40 a table and raised £1,600. Greater funds are expected from the corporate table quiz for People in Need in the Berkeley Court Hotel next Thursday. It is being organised by a committee which includes Pat Farrell, Noeleen McCreevy, Oliver Tattan and Dave McKenna. It costs £500 for four, Charlie Bird is in the chair and 60 teams is the aim.