A tanned Mick McCarthy, manager of the Irish soccer team, was not on the list of Ireland's sexiest 100 men. He was unperturbed. "We have to give the younger ones a chance," he said, smiling.
Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne was "shocked, shattered and appalled" at not being included. "It's bad enough we were not considered in the top 10, but not to be in the top 100!" he said, after being told about the annual Social and Personal magazine list.
McCarthy will be grand marshall at this year's St Patrick's Day parade. His late father, Charlie McCarthy, from Tallow, Co Waterford, died last year, he said, and will "not be here to see me being grand marshall - that's one of the saddest parts for me. It's a great honour."
Senator Fergal Quinn was there too, as chairman of the festival board. (He wasn't invited to the launch of the sexiest men list across town either.)
The best party will be in March, according to Maria Moynihan, festival chief executive, and all the events over the four days of the St Patrick's Festival will be free.
Twink, aka Adele King, with her two daughters, Naomi Agnew (8) and Chloe Agnew (12), was at the party in the Coachhouse of Dublin Castle.
As for bands, the five members of Fifth Avenue, all northsiders and off on a European tour shortly, were helping to promote the festival: Jessica Molloy, Terry Gaynor, Mark Walton, Danny Cummins and the youngest member, Beverley O'Sullivan (19).
Joe and Steve Wall, along with fellow members of The Walls, Carl Harms and Rory Doyle, will also perform during the festival in Merrion Square on Saturday, March 16th. Get in training now for that weekend - the organisers are asking that you "show your true colour!" on the day. And McCarthy says to "wear the green".
So we will.