The Social Network

A congregation of Keanes for 'Maggie':IT HAD BEEN years since Norma Smurfit last saw a stage production of Big Maggieand she was looking forward to Druid's new production – directed by Garry Hynes – which opened in the Gaiety, Dublin, on Tuesday evening. The last time Norma saw it, Anna Manahan, for whom John B Keane had written the role, was playing the lead role in the Olympia. This time Aisling O'Sullivan was in the lead.

John B’s wife, Mary Keane, said it was a good while since she had seen a production. “I miss John, I was always with him for every professional production.” She was proud that all her grandchildren were present. “There are 12 of them here, you wouldn’t want to say a bad word about us Keanes tonight. The eldest of them is Anne Keane, who is 25, and the youngest is Sally O’Flynn, who is 10.”

Anne is training to be a solicitor in Blackhall Place, and she was delighted to catch up with her cousin Maggie Keane, who travelled from Cork, where she is studying law.

Miss Universe Ireland, Listowel woman Aoife Hannon, hadn’t seen the play before. She moved to Dublin in June to concentrate on her modelling career.

The TV presenter Dáithí Ó Sé was with his fiancee, Rita Talty, who was the New Jersey Rose at the 2008 Rose of Tralee. The last time Daithí saw the play was more than 20 years ago when “it was performed by a local company in west Kerry as Gaeilge”, he said.

Who we spotted Lisa Duffy came to see her husband, Keith Duffy, play the role of Teddy Heelin; John B's nephew the broadcaster Eamon Keane; John Kelly of The View; author Christine Dwyer Hickey, who has twice won the Listowel Writers Week short-story competition

What we heard Aisling O’Sullivan’s performance being compared to those of Anna Manahan and Brenda Fricker

A drink in the Pink

CAROL BYRNE has stepped into Robbie Fox’s shoes as manager of the Pink on Dawson Street, Dublin, and was there on Thursday evening for a party hosted by MTV and the digital sales agency AD2ONE, which have an online brand-promotion partnership.

Fire-eaters greeted guests outside as the smell of petrol mixed with Calvin Klein, Hermès and Chanel at the door.

Carol told me that she has “just hired the model Daniella Moyles as a new hostess. She will be working here on Friday and Saturday nights.” Meanwhile, Robbie – who got the Pink up and running – was granted a full licence on Thursday to serve drinks and cocktails at Bel Bellucci in Ballsbridge.

Actor Virginia Macari (pictured), whose baby is due in 10 weeks, said she is due to start filming Southside Housewives for TV3 next Wednesday with “Lisa Murphy, Jackie Rafter and Dr Danielle Maher”.

Also at the party were stylist Maria Fusco and Hayley Rock of Concierge Dublin.

What we drank

Mohitos

What we ate

Canapes

What we listened to

Funky tunes from the resident DJ

Bowman adds to his archives

JOHN BOWMAN was listening intently to the praise being heaped upon him by Glen Killane, the managing director of television in RTÉ, at the launch of his book Window and Mirror: RTE Television 1961-2011at the National Museum of Ireland on Wednesday evening.

The author announced that he took notes and will remember all Killane said when “I’m negotiating my next contract”.

John’s wife, psychiatrist Dr Eimer Philbin Bowman, enjoyed the launch and was “very relieved we’re at this point”. She said John worked on the book “from 8am to 10pm, including on our trip to France”. Their grandson Saul – son of the late Jonathan Philbin Bowman – laughed at all his grandfather’s jokes. Their daughter Emma, a psychotherapist, was there but their son Daniel “went to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup and still has to come back”, according to John.

Their other son, the comedian Abie Philbin Bowman, confessed to “having dipped through the book. I heard a lot of it anecdotally. It’s a lot more accessible than his de Valera book.”

One reader who had no problem with that particular tome was barrister Rachel Fehily, who apparently flicked through Bowman's de Valera book at the age of six. John Bowman launched Fehily's book, Split: True Stories of Relationship Breakdown in Ireland,on Tuesday evening.

Barbara Sweetman-FitzGerald who edited the recently published The Widest Circle, a memoir of her late first husband, Michael Sweetman, was on her way to hear the Culwick Choir sing Handel's Messiah at St Patrick's Cathedral. Broadcaster Olivia O'Leary and retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness are members of the choir.

Prof Colum Kenny of DCU was there, as was his relative the author Mary Kenny. They had been at a reception to mark the donation of the Kenny family papers – including correspondence from Pádraig Pearse, Roger Casement and Arthur Griffith – to DCU on Wednesday morning. Colum’s grandfather and Mary’s uncle, Kevin J Kenny, founded Ireland’s first full-service advertising agency.

Also there were the poet Paul Durcan, who read some personal reminiscences of RTÉ Television and recited a poem; former Green Party TD and current party leader Eamon Ryan; RTÉ chairman Tom Savage; the director of the National Museum of Ireland, Pat Wallace; property consultant Aiden McDonnell; Frank Callanan SC; the Press Ombudsman John Horgan; the former curator of Irish art at the National Gallery of Ireland Síghle Bhreathnach-Lynch; Seán O’Rourke, Mike Murphy and Gay Byrne of RTÉ; journalist Nell McCafferty; weather presenter Karina Buckley and former restaurateur Peter White.

A little Italy on George’s Street

THE FORMER head chef at Dillinger’s in Ranelagh and one-time co-owner of Town Bar and Grill, Temple Garner, will open a new restaurant, San Lorenzo’s, on South Great George’s Street tonight.

The former general manager of Town Bar Grill, Gerry Crossan, has joined Garner as the new general manager at San Lorenzo’s.

Garner said San Lorenzo’s would be a modern Italian-style restaurant. “It’s not a precise Italian restaurant. We’re Italian in ethos and sensibility. The River Cafe in Hammersmith in London is close to what I’m going to do.”

The restaurant will be open for lunch, early bird and dinner seven days a week. It will also serve Sunday brunch.

Catching up on racing’s social element

Jockey Davy Russell is best known for riding as first jockey to Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud. When O’Leary heard Russell had been appointed Horse Racing Ireland’s national hunt ambassador for 2011-12, the Ryanair chief executive’s reaction was to throw his eyes up to heaven.

“The social element is a side of racing I wouldn’t know anything about,” Russell told me at Fitzwilliam Hotel in Dublin on Monday, at a reception to mark his appointment.

Fellow jockey Andrew McNamara, from Limerick, turned up to congratulate Russell. Both jockeys are growing moustaches as part of the Movember campaign to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

The founders of the newly formed Trinity College Horse Racing Society also made an appearance. They acquired 1,400 members during freshers’ week, they said. The society’s auditor, Jack Cantillon, is a second-year law student from Naas and has racing pedigree. His family stud farm, Tinnakill House, is in Co Laois. His father, Dermot Cantillon, is Michael Smurfit’s racing manager and his mother, Meta Osborne, is a well-known vet. “We want to foster a love for horse racing in Trinity,” said Cantillon. “It’s the only sport in Ireland where we’re the best in the world.”

Cantillon is assisted on the society’s committee by two Clongownians. His cousin, Robbie Osborne, from Kildare town, is the treasurer and James Ryan, from the Curragh, is secretary. The society owns a horse called Local Celebrity, trained by Willie Mullins.

What we ate

Tea and scones

(It was early)