THE SOCIAL NETWORK:The Israeli ambassador, Boaz Modai and his wife – and deputy ambassador – Nurit Tinari-Modai, held a reception and musical performance by David D'Or, to celebrate Israel's 64th Independence Day, at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin 4.
Security was tight in the foyer and guests had to pass through a metal detector. Heads turned when Archbishop Charles Brown, the new papal nuncio, arrived wearing his pectoral cross. He was approached by well-wishers, which was something of a contrast to the picket outside the Nunciature.
The Manhattan-born Brown told me that he has traced his ancestors, on both sides, to east Clare, “and to Gort, which I know is not in Clare, but in Galway, right?” He said that he had a wonderful time in west Cork on Saturday, when he visited Leap. On Sunday he was back in Dublin to meet up with his old friend, David Rosen, the former chief rabbi of Ireland. Rosen is now based in Jerusalem.
Archbishop Brown became embarrassed when the issue of him being referred to as “the George Clooney of the Diplomatic Corps” was raised. “Oh, I just pray my rosary,” he said.
The Austrian ambassador, Dr Walter Hagg, was there, but his wife, Aglaë Hagg-Thun, was away leading a cultural trip to Austria. The Haggs will be leaving Ireland in November.
After the reception, D’Or entertained the guests during a sit-down concert. He represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, with Leha’amin, which was placed 11th in the semi-final. He didn’t make it to the final.
Archbishop Brown waited for nearly everyone to be seated, and did not take a reserved seat up at the front with members of the diplomatic corps, but sat among the people. A sign of things to come?
Fine Gael TD Dr Liam Twomey was accompanied by his wife, Dr Liz O’Sullivan. They caught up with solicitor Caroline O’Connor from Wexford.
Who we spotted: The Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn; former Leinster rugby player Kingsley Aikins of Diaspora Matters; Simon Taylor of the National Concert Hall; former lord mayor of Dublin Ben Briscoe; former deputy Dublin city architect Douglas Beattie and his wife, Miriam; Rory Cowan of Mrs Brown's Boys, who is going to Tel Aviv in two weeks.
