Fur and fine art

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:United Arts Club's members' exhibition at the European Commission offices on Dawson Street in Dublin on Monday evening had a hint of Downton Abbey about it. Mary Caulfield gave the Dowager Countess of Grantham a run for her money when she arrived wearing a fox fur across her shoulders. "I thought I'd give it an airing," the former chairwoman of United Arts Club told me. Caulfield said she was looking forward to giving a talk on Lady Gregory at the club on Wednesday.

Mieke Vanmechelen travelled from Kerry for the exhibition. She was delighted that two of her paintings that are permanently on show at La Stampa, also on Dawson Street, were sold a few days previously.

The chairman of Dublin Symphony Orchestra, Simone Orr, mentioned that she’s looking after her neighbours’ dog for the week, as they’ve gone to London for the Jewish celebration of Rosh Hashanah.

Some of the guests left early to travel to the home of Colum Walsh, Emily Ryan and Barra Lysaght on Northbrook Road. The barristers were hosting an evening with the pianist Kevin Fitzpatrick in their drawing room for Ranelagh Arts Festival.

WHO WE SPOTTED

Maura Walsh of the Leinster College, on Harcourt Street; Sarah Leahy of United Arts Club; Anne Henderson of the Irish Architectural Archive; the artists Tom Ryan, James English and Carmel Mooney.