It is time to celebrate Marsh's Library, which is still a "dangerous" place, said ambassador Gabriel de Bellescize. "Books keep their danger and I like that." He was opening an exhibition of the library's largest and smallest books.
The founder of the library 300 years ago, was "a very nice man" especially because he loved "the long and turgid French romances," explained the French ambassador. Archbishop Marsh, he told us, sometimes read to escape.
"Let's celebrate the escapism of Archbishop Marsh," he said. Hear, hear, said the assembled guests at the opening of the exhibition, From Major to Minor.
Dr Walton Empey, chairman of Marsh's Library, and his wife, Louie, who are preparing for retirement to Rathvilly in Co Carlow shortly, were at the show. The Rev Dudley Levistone Cooney, author of last year's A History of the Methodists in Ireland, chatted to genealogist Máire Mac Conghail.
Dean John Paterson and his wife, Patricia, in a fuschia stole, having dined with Cardinal Connell the night before to honour Dr Empey on his retirement, were dashing off to dine with the President, Mrs McAleese, in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. Next they fly to Chicago for the month of July, where Paterson will lecture on the liturgy at Nashatoh House.
Many famous writers, including Bram Stoker and James Joyce, used the libary, said its keeper, Muriel McCarthy. "We would really like to attract more scholars to carry out research in Marsh's," she said.
Writer Nicholas Furlong and his wife, Mairéad, came, with tales of his latest book, Young Farmer Seeks Wife, published by Marino.
"It's a fictional autobiography, enumerating all the women who turned me down," he said enigmatically, with a twinkle in his eye. The pair, in great spirits, were also heading to the gala Worldwide Ireland Funds dinner at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. After writing historial books about war and murder, said Furlong, "I really enjoyed writing this, the fun of it." Marsh, no doubt, would have been pleased too, he being a connoisseur of romance.