On the Town: The O'Conor family were in celebratory mood this week. First there was the opening performance this week of Beethoven Piano's Sonatas.
Concert pianist John O'Conor will perform the complete set of 32 over the coming months at the National Concert Hall.
"I look forward with great eagerness and excitement to this new journey," he said following his performance of the first three sonatas.
Then the following night saw the launch of Links, the first work of fiction by his wife, psychosexual therapist Mary O'Conor.
The book was declared "a great old romp" by Mike Murphy, who launched it. "It fairly rollicks along," declared the former broadcaster, who, commenting on the mix of golf and sex in the book, joked that the couple must not only have a grand piano in the drawing-room but a torture chamber in the basement.
Among those attending the events were artist Bernadette Madden; Joe Brennan, of the department of foreign affairs; John Lynch, of the exclusive Georgian entertainment venue Number 10 Ormond Quay; and Ann Fuller, administrator of the AXA Dublin International Piano Competition.
Also eager to get a signed copy of O'Conor's book were director Patrick Mason and Mary Finan, chairwoman of the Gate Theatre, who was then dashing off to the opening night of Conor McPherson's new play, Shining City.
Soprano Suzanne Murphy, contralto Veronica Dunne, former minister for education Gemma Hussey, and writer Deirdre Purcell also joined the throng.
Frank O'Conor, brother of John, was at both events, along with John and Mary's sons, actor Hugh O'Conor and TCD PhD student Keith O'Conor.