They supped on suckling pig, a giant tuna, swordfish and soda bread, washing it all down with Murphy's stout, at the opening event of the Cork Midsummer Festival. The partygoers were out to celebrate in style at Cork City Gaol in Sundays Well this week to launch the five-day festival, which draws to a close in the Lobby Bar tomorrow night.
All 250 guests, mostly from the arts community, were in fine form on Tuesday night, looking forward to meeting Peter Mandelson, the Northern Secretary, as well as checking out the week-long programme and generally getting into the mood. Some were dressed in medieval garb, others were in silver lame - in particular performer Maria Tecce, who stole the show. Among those enjoying the party were Alison Fordham, newly appointed director of the Triskel Arts Centre; businessman Gerry Callnan; Padraic Liston of Murphy's Brewery; artist Sarah Iremonger and her husband Peter Murray, chief executive of the Crawford Art Gallery. Hilary O'Malley, festival administrator, and her husband, barrister Tim O'Leary, were also tripping the light fantastic.
Since then, the city has been heaving with parties, concerts, exhibitions, plays, sing-songs and readings. Tomorrow Corkonians will converge on Bishop Lucey Park for an outdoor picnic. Down on Albert Quay, a Dutch production called Along the Edge will continue today and tomorrow: city dwellers are invited on a "voyage of humanity through the ages - a cabaret of the history of the Earth".
Last night, according to our highly placed sources, Cork danced into the dawn with the Kilfenora Ceili Band at a monster ceili at Emmett Place.