We're lucky to have them, but it wouldn't be overstating the case to point out that our own Garda Siochana have never exuded the kind of streetwise glamour synonymous - on TV at least - with their New York or LA counterparts. Most likely the weather's to blame; gumshoe toughtalk, screeching car chases, noir-ish denouements - the muck and drizzle would just spoil everything.
But actress Andrea Irvine's doing her darndest to give the force an image makeover. Not content with playing straight-talking, butt-kicking detective garda Moya O'Donnell in last year's Waterford cop drama, Making the Cut, she revealed at the opening night party for the Project Art Centre's new production of Howard Barker's Judith - in which she plays the lead role - that she is teaming up with co-star Sean McGinley to reprise the role in a follow-up show, DDU, debuting later this year.
That's not all - Andrea's off to Edinburgh this month with the Rough Magic theatre company for a two-week run of The Whisperers at the superlatively swish Traverse Theatre. After that, some time off and a nervous wait by the telephone to hear back from several auditions.
Also along on Tuesday night was Rough Magic artistic director Lynne Parker, who revealed plans to premiere a new piece by long-time collaborators Declan Hughes and Pom Boyd called Boomtown, to be performed in a custom-designed stage in Meeting House Square during the Dublin Theatre Festival. Boomtown, she promised, will be a sly take on Celtic Tiger Dublin. About time, too. Fellow Rough Magic conspirator Siobhan Bourke, who is working on a short film at the moment, was also about.
Publicist Janice McAdam was agog at the prospect of returning to the Project's spiritual home in Temple Bar next year when the new five-storey structure designed by architect Shay Cleary opens.
Judith director Judith Roberts - from Wales but now firmly ensconced in Dublin via London's King's Head Theatre - spoke of a young writers' programme which she is overseeing at the Gate Theatre and which will be formally unveiled at the upcoming Dublin Theatre Festival. Project choreographer in residence Paul Johnson seemed relaxed ahead of the opening of his final piece with the company, Without Hope or Fear.