Later that evening, Dublin's newest live music venue was officially opened with a party for over 400 guests. The Hot Press Irish Music Hall of Fame - try saying that in a hurry - is on Middle Abbey Street. In the usual way of the Irish, who else should open an Irish Music Hall of Fame except someone raised far from our sodden shores - the singer Grace Jones.
Among those gathered round the cabaret-style tables were: Philomena Lynott, mammy of the late great Phil Lynott; singers Mary Coughlan, Ronnie Drew, Luka Bloom and Leslie Dowdall; writer Roddy Doyle; designer Michael Mortell; nightclub folk John Reynolds of the POD and Robbie Fox of Renards; broadcaster Dave Fanning; and Boyzone's manager, Louis Walsh.
Grace Jones performed for close to an hour, making several costume changes in the process as she nipped up and down a stairway near the stage. Among the songs she belted out were Pull Up to the Bumper and Slave to the Rhythm. Obviously curious about the dark-coloured contents of the glasses, she came down off the stage and whipped a pint of Guinness from a punter's table to do a bit of on-the-spot research. Grace Jones plays tonight and tomorrow in the same venue. Hang onto your pints.