There was a cast of 1,000, or near enough, at an inaugural party in The Vaults, a new bar and restaurant under Connolly Station. Located on the northside, this was reason enough for the Taoiseach to come and declare The Vaults open for business. This is the city's newest venue for party-goers.
Michael Martin, its developer, shook hands with a passing stream of people like a politician at election time. Once head chef at the Tea Rooms in the Clarence Hotel, The Vaults's managing director has "got the Midas touch", said Richard Verling, of Findlater Wines.
According to the Taoiseach, the docklands and Irish Financial Services Centre area "has been transformed in recent years . . . we are standing here at the interface between traditional Dublin city centre and the new east side of Dublin where the people of this city and this State can see the economy expand and grow on a more sustainable and socially inclusive basis".
Japanese businessmen Toshio Mitama, Yoshimaro Bekki and Miyabukuro Noriaki, who work nearby in businesses located in Dublin 1, were impressed too. Local TD Tony Gregory was also checking out the venue.
In another of the caverns under some of The Vaults's 75 rafters, Martin Mackin, Fianna Fáil general secretary, who was nominated to the Upper Chamber of the Seanad by the Taoiseach last month, chatted to another Dundalk man, Gerry McCrave.
Renovation of The Vaults cost €6.5 million, said the Taoiseach. "This process of high-quality development is expanding down both sides of the Liffey through the Docklands project, the biggest inner city regeneration project in the history of the State."
The standing guests listened with interest as he told us about The Vaults, a space that is "steeped in history".
Amy Buckeridge and Aoife Reilly were "very impressed" with the subterranean bar. Former Miss Ireland (1998), Vivienne Doyle, and Aer Lingus pilot, Kevin Quinn, were also among the admiring guests. "Dublin never ceases to amaze me," said Alan Amsby, aka Mr Pussey.
Four individuals from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority sat together - Mark Adamson, Terry Durney, Carmel Smith and Patrick Boland - pleased with the results of their joint development strategy with CIÉ in the area.
Emma Kelly, the PR woman running the show, is planning to hold her wedding reception in The Vaults next November. She's engaged to Stuart Carolan, radio producer on Today FM's The Last Word. Ádh mór orthu.