ONE couldn't be blamed for expecting fireworks real ones at the Chinese Embassy on Ailesbury Road in Dublin on Tuesday, when the ambassador Fan Huijuan held a reception "in celebration of the resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong by the government of the People's Republic of China". After all, had not the new regime in the former colony put on the most expensive display of fireworks ever, costing some Pounds 6 million? But the Dublin occasion was low key, informal and speechless.
Gue"iIts included tornter President Patrick Hillery and Maeve Hillery, the Egyptian ambassador Hiissan Salem, the Israeli ambassador Zvi Gabay and the South African ambassador Pierre Dietrichsen, as well as the Chief of StatT Lieut Gen Gerry McMahon.
The new Government was represented by the Minister of the Marine, Dr Michael Woods, the old by Deputies Alan Dukes and Alan Shatter and the Seanad by Dr Mary Henry with her daughter Dr Meriel McEntagart. Dr Henry is well into her campaign for re-election for Trinity College but unlike those running on the panels her canvassing is all by letter. Remarkably, she says, she was the only doctor in the outg9ing Seanad where, she says, there is a gap in scientific and technical representation.
The number of old faces from Leinster House was notable - among them Tomas MacGiolla, Sean etc Loftus and Jim Dooge. It was pointed out to the new chief of protocol at lveagh House, Ant6in Mac Unfraidh, that his job looked a lot more difficult last week than it did this week. For some 24 hours he had two full Cabinet Ministers in Foreign Affairs, the Minister himself Ray Burke and the Minister for Defence, David Andrews. What protocol nightmares that might have created doesn't bear thinking about but Mr MacUnfraidh may have noted Pat Rabbitte's remarks in the Dail last week that he hoped the new Minister for Defence had his tanks ready outside Iveagh House for when he and Mr Burke fell out.