All heads strained to see the petite figure of Yoko Ono as she waited behind a partition in the foyer of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Mr Bill Shipsey, chairman of Art for Amnesty, introduced U2's The Edge who gave a synopsis of Yoko Ono's life, closing with "Yoko comes to Dublin. Yoko likes Dublin and Dublin likes Yoko". Wearing a black trouser suit, she emerged smiling.
"John Lennon, who was my soulmate, was a very important person in my life," she said, stopping momentarily, her voice full of emotion.
Yoko Ono was in Dublin to open In the Time of Shaking, the exhibition of work by over 100 Irish artists to raise money for Amnesty International.
"We did the bed-in. The rest is history. We tried our best and today I feel as though he is here with us because this is the kind of thing that he would have loved to see happen, that I am in Dublin for the first time, " she said, smiling. "He believed that he was Irish. And so I feel as though I know you. I'm honoured that I was invited here."
Ms Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International, said the proceeds of the work will "go towards exposing the truth behind the most hidden human rights atrocity of our time - violence against women".