These DAYS, it's not enough to simply organise a hip party in aid of a charity, you have to have a cutting edge committee too. Following on the success of the Irish Hospice Foundation and the Central Remedial Clinic, which have both put together groups of younger generation fundraisers, the Barretstown Gang Camp has brought together some of the city's movers and shakers for a good cause.
Heading up the posse at Barretstown is the charity's event manager, Joanne Duffy and a number of the committee are her friends and contacts - there's Sonia Reynolds who, together with business partner Emma Kelly, organises parties for a living; Helen Kilmartin, the owner of Minima Interiors; fashion designer Cuan Hanley; the diminutive editor of In Dublin, Alanna Gallagher; film producer Ruth Hussey; Catherine Heaney of Image magazine; management consultant Kevin Keegan; film production accountant Andrew Lowe and Dave McMahon of Labyrinth. Rumour has it that the elusive star of Today FM, Navan Man, is also on the committee although Drunken Politican may have been warned off by the style police.
Together they've put together a night of White Magic at Barretstown Castle in Meath on Saturday next, which involves a cocktail reception, dinner outdoors in the Secret Garden and DJs till dawn. The dress code is white of course and Catherine Giovanelli and Roisin Murphy of RTE's Beyond the Hall Door have taken on the task of dressing up the castle. It's all in aid of the Barretstown Gang Camp, a charity which was started by Paul Newman and which gives seriously ill children and their families the chance to get away on a holiday. To get your tickets, call 01 662 5652.