Thespians and theatre folk came from near and far to attend the launch of this year's Dublin Theatre Festival.
The newly appointed director of the festival - who will take over from Fergus Linehan in 2005 - Canadian Don Shipley and his wife, Deborah Gibson, who are in Dublin for a few days, both attended the reception at the Coach House in Dublin Castle.
Maura O'Keeffe came along having just returned from Edinburgh where she is producing John B. Keane's The Love Hungry Farmer. Des Keogh is appearing in the play at the Assembly Rooms.
Annie Ryan, of the Corn Exchange, and her husband, Michael West with their three-month-old son Oliver, said they are putting the finishing touches to their script for a new play later this year.
The actor Lisa Lambe, who played one of the wailing women in the wake scene of the Abbey's recent production of The Shaughraun by Dion Bouccicault, was there, having just returned from Kerry. She'll be starting rehearsals shortly in Rough Magic's production of Improbable Frequency, under the direction of Lynne Parker. Cathy White, who will also be in the cast, was at Dublin Castle too.
Breda Cashe, producer with Andrew's Lane productions, is busy travelling between Dublin, Galway and Edinburgh, where The Blind Fiddler is playing. The comedy Triple Espresso, with which Cashe is also involved, was in Galway recently and has just opened in Bray.
Others at the event included Fergal McGrath of the Druid Theatre Co, Michael Colgan of the Gate, Ali Curran of the Peacock Theatre and John Costigan of the Gaiety Theatre.