Spontaneity in practice at the RIAC exhibition

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:As the President announced that Frederic William Burton's Hellelil and Hildebrand, the Meeting on the Turret Stairs is Ireland's favourite painting on Thursday evening, a little bit of history was being made in the Royal Irish Automobile Club on Dawson Street. The president of the club, David Orr, welcomed guests to the inaugural art exhibition, which features more than 20 artists and was organised by his wife, Simone.

Members of the United Arts Club were present. The president of that club, Thomas Ryan PPRHA, submitted two pictures.

The art historian Ciarán MacGonigal travelled from Edgeworthstown and gave a witty speech. He told me being spontaneous “takes a lorra, lorra practice”. MacGonigal, whose republican father, Maurice, was a president of the RHA, reminded us that the day the RIAC was founded marked the end of the Victorian era. As the first members convened, Queen Victoria died. “Lord Iveagh, on the other side of Stephen’s Green, painted his railings black to note the passing of the Queen Empress,” he said.

The artist Gay O’Neill had just returned from Nice. Her partner, Robin Hall, couldn’t make the exhibition. He was tending to their garden at Primrose Hill in Lucan, which opens to the public for June and July.

Who we saw: James Hanley RHA, who is preparing for tomorrow's varnishing day at the RHA; the secretary of the RIAC, Alex Sinclair; Robert Lee Mulcahy; artists Brian Gallagher and David Hayes; Catherine Boland of the Contemporary Irish Art Society.

What we ate: Crisps.

What we drank: Croix des Vents merlot, 2011.