The heavens opened to herald Mary Russell's arrival. Torrential rain! Were the gods venting their anger? Was the Roy Keane story taking on cosmic proportions?
Conversation upstairs at Doheny & Nesbitts on Baggot Street was filled with portent.
Russell is a woman of "great courage, sensitivity and immense literary talent", said Seamus Martin, former international editor with this newspaper, who now plans to settle in the Lanquedoc region of the south of France. He came to introduce Russell's new travel book, Journeys of a Lifetime, published by Townhouse.
In all her adventures, he said, "she stood her ground against numerous face-mashing threats just as all who know her might expect".
Catherine Dunne and Ger Philpott waited to greet their fellow writer. The three became friends at Annaghmakerrig, the Co Monaghan retreat for artists. Patricia Barker, DCU registrar with Liz Mullan, deputy assistant in the Chief State Solicitor's Office, chatted to Camilla Dorcey Dodson, from Lesotho. All friends of the writer for "donkey's years", they said.
Russell's daughter, Freya Rodger, a journalist in Oxford, says having an adventurous mother is "inspiring. If I could have half the energy now that she has I'd be more than happy". Russell's only brother, Basil Russell, and his son, Paul Russell, came too.
Journalist Victoria White, wife of the newly-elected Green Party TD, Eamon Ryan, came to congratulate the author too.
Also Russell's cousin, Joan Smyth, former RTÉ librarian, attended. So did Orla Murphy and her daughters, Rachal (9) and Yseult Orpen (4) who were watching out for their father to arrive. He is Tristan Orpen-Lynch, another of Russell's relations. A film producer, he starts shooting in Ballyvourney, Co Cork soon with Aidan Quinn in the line-up. The story is set in a Catholic reformatory school.
Singled out by Russell for special mention for egging her on to write the book was the woman "who said 'do it' ", - journalist Patsey Murphy. Cheers and applause drowned out the rain. Who cares if it's bucketing down outside?