A supreme Court judge, a gold-miner and two very happy poets are among those who come along to celebrate the opening of Zita Reihill's exhibition. The supreme court judge, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, is one of the few to wear a tie. The opening's dress code includes open neck shirts, aran jumpers and one Davy Crocket style hat. The sunny Sunday morning show at the Hallward Gallery in Merrion Square has attracted all manner of friends. Long-time friend Liz O'Donnell, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, opened the exhibition. The artist's sisters, Tina Reihill and Karen Reihill, are here too. In a complete career change, Michael Nesbitt, former managing director of Arnott's, is now digging for gold in the Russian Far East and in Kazakhstan. "Yes, it's exciting," he says.
Glowing with triumph is Enda Wyley, the poet, who has just returned from London after winning second prize (and £1,000) in the British National Poetry Competition for her poem, `Diary of a Fat Man'. Another poet, Rory Brennan, is here, just back from a trip to Vietnam with his wife Fionnuala Brennan. Is there money in poetry, we wonder? "There's no money in poetry but there's no poetry in money either," he answers promptly. John Rocha and his wife Odette have bought a painting. The elegant designer Pat Crowley, wearing the aforementioned Davy Crocket hat and a racoon-fur scarf, has come along too. She's retiring this month after more than 40 years in fashion.
On the legal side, Judge Desmond Windle is viewing the work with his Galway-born wife, Judy Windle. The former attorney-general, Dermot Gleeson, is here also, in his capacity as brother-in-law of the artist. Supreme court judge, Justice Hardiman and his wife, Judge Yvonne Murphy discuss Reihill's paintings, which have been inspired by the scenes and sights around Ballinskelligs in Co Kerry.