Last Saturday, it was possible to get a whole day full of culture and socialising without once moving from the National Concert Hall. The first event was a private viewing of the work of Arthur Armstrong RHA that went up for auction on Tuesday. The sale was a huge success - the people at de Vere's Art Auctions ran out of bidding paddles and had to improvise with hand-made ones - so it will come as no surprise that Saturday's reception was packed to the gills.
There were plenty of friends of the late artist including Madge Campbell, widow of the late Northern painter, George Campbell, who was escorted by Norwegian doctor Knut Moe. The legal world was there, not least in the person of solicitor Kevin Mayes, with his wife Yvonne; and Nicky Kearns, who recounted how he recently met Bill Clinton in the inappropriately named Virgin Islands. SC Paul Gilligan could be seen eyeing up the west of Ireland landscapes - perhaps he still has some wall-space in his own retreat in the west.
There was a fine selection of Irish business folk too - Don Tidey and his wife Barbara; Alan Ashe of Standard Life and his wife Rosemary; property developer David Arnold; Michael Buckley of AIB, and Joe and Dara Linders. The director of the National Concert Hall, Judith Woodworth, came along to keep an eye on the premises, accompanied by her partner Tim Lloyd.
A lot of the folk wandering round the pre-sale reception then went along to the concert given by Max Levinson, winner of the 1997 Guardian Dublin International Piano competition. Gerry Whelan of Guardian was there and together with his wife, Celine, he hosted a reception after the concert; batik-artist Bernadette Madden came along, and the new French ambassador, Henri de Coignac attended with his wife, Nadine. Politician Des O'Malley arrived with his wife Pat; the pianist John O'Conor was there with his wife, therapist Mary O'Conor, and solicitor Joe Deane came along with Fran, his wife.
Afterwards, the party moved to the Dartmouth Square home of orthodontist Sean Grimley and his wife Roisin, who hosted a supper.