DESPITE the ominous clouds, the threatening rain never materialised to spoil the Big Issues Stars and Stripes Barbecue for more than 2,000 people in the grounds of the American ambassador's residence in Phoenix Park yesterday in aid of the homeless. In fact, every now and again the sun came out and it was quite pleasant.
While rain was interrupting play at Wimbledon, hundreds of people were strolling around the well kept walled gardens, courtesy of Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith. Others sat on the well manicured lawns and listened to pop groups turn Ireland's little bit of America into an enjoyable jamboree.
The older folk admired the brilliant displays of roses and geraniums, while there was a special area for very young children to play. Younger teenagers could not resist stealing the juicy raspberries which were standing in well ordered lines beside one of the walkways.
Mrs Kennedy Smith might not be too pleased today to see the damage the locusts did to her fine fruit. She might also be displeased to see the number of empty beer cans and the rubbish that was dumped into her lovely fountain.
The public paid £25 for the concert and a meal £15 if you were not having any food. Budweiser beer was selling fast in the various bars located in big dark green tents supplied by the Army.
This happy preoccupation, however, resulted in a major problem. Huge queues began to form to use the toilets. Quite a few people looked distinctly uneasy as the queues did not move as fast they would have liked. And there was no possibility of sneaking off into the vast wooded area nearby as security men were everywhere.
The smell of hamburgers could be picked up half a mile from the ambassador's residence. Huge queues formed for food while the sweating chefs and their assistants worked gallantly to try to feed everyone.
At one stage the actor Gabriel Byrne stepped out of the embassy compound, but decided to move back in again when he was spotted by young girls. He was not anxious to start a riot. Self preservation took priority over his curiosity.
One hundred children from Chernobyl, aged between eight and 12, had a great time. They were accompanied by Mr Valentine Belyaev, a Russian teacher and translator, who was profuse in his thanks to Ms Adi Roche and the Chernobyl Children's Project for all they had done for the children.