It was the media pack, rather than Conrad Gallagher who were on the run today, as the celebrity chef arrived for a hearing on charges of stealing paintings from one of Dublin's top hotels.
Cameramen, photographers and journalists scrambled from outside Bridewell Garda station round to the Chancery Lane entrance of the court as the news that Mr Gallagher was not inside the station emerged.
Arriving at court 24 of Dublin Circuit Criminal court shortly before 10.30 this morning in a modest red saloon car, Mr Gallagher, wearing a white t-shirt and cargo pants, was bundled past the media scrum, making no comment.
Disheveled and drawn, Mr Gallagher sat, head bowed, in the dock throughout the 15 or so minutes of the hearing, showing little emotion even after his application for bail was refused.
The Donegal-born chef is facing charges relating to the alleged theft of three paintings from the Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephen's Green in Dublin, where his Michelin-starred Peacock Alley restaurant was located. He is accused of selling the paintings in December 2000.
Yesterday, he dropped his last minute plans to fight his extradition to Ireland from New York on charges of art theft and flew to Ireland on an Aer Lingus flight under Garda escort this morning.
Mr Gallagher was arrested in New York on April 10th over the alleged theft and has spent the last month in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.
A warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to turn up for his trial in Dublin on October 15th, 2002.
Mr Gallagher, married Jennifer Harrison from California last September and together they opened a trendy lounge bar called Traffic in Manhattan. But the celebrity chef, one of the youngest to earn a Michelin star, has seen no fewer than seven of his enterprises fail in his relatively short and eventful career.
Known for the extravagant presentation of his work, Mr Gallagher has courted media attention and controversy. He recently told the British newspaper, the Timesthat he would never return to Ireland.
Evidently the times have changed. After this morning's hearing, Mr Gallagher's solicitor said his client had lost a great deal of weight after his time behind bars - of the penal kind in New York - and would be seeking a speedy trial.
For once, it seems burly chef would like the attention to abate as quickly as possible.