Party time for Blackstone, but isn’t it always?

I hear a posse of Irish are invited to the "late summer party" being held in London next month by Blackstone, the financial behemoth that appears to have snapped up half the country's assets in recent years. There had better be stout.

The soirée is being hosted by its consultancy arm, Blackstone Advisory, which in 2012 was hired to help the special liquidators of IBRC package up its loan book for sale. It will take place in the Darwin Centre of the National History Museum, according to the registration emails.

The Darwin Centre’s website says the best entrance is via Cromwell Road, which may not go down too well with the Irish contingent: 800 years, and all that. Blackstone, however, reckons guests should arrive via the Queensgate entrance. That’s better – we like her now.

No doubt some of those travelling over from Dublin will head straight for the centre’s “Spirit Collection”. But there they will find ne’er a Jameson. The aforementioned “spirits” are used only to pickle lizards and such like. They could also take a trip down Dinosaur Way. I hear the social partners are pickled there.

Shock horror, the “party” is scheduled to end at 10pm. Two hours before midnight? Somebody had better have a quiet word with Blackstone if they ever plan on having this gig in Dublin.

Can you get a bar extension for a museum?