If last night rugby hosted the event of the week, Wednesday saw the scrums of the week as social animals had either to choose which events to leave out of their diary or to hop in and out of cabs racing all over town.
Things got underway at 5.30 p.m. in Lillie's Bordello with the annual gathering of anyone who's anyone in Ireland's rock 'n' roll world. They were congregating for the launch of their bible - The Hot Press Year Book. Network 2's No Disco presenter Uaneen Fitzsimons was asked to launch the tome just after she had walked in the door, with her good friend Hugh Murray, the A&R man with Sony Ireland.
She gave a great speech, saying that ever since working for BBC in Belfast she has never gone out without her guide to the Irish music industry. As always, the siren with blue highlights was in flying form, filling anyone's glass from a commandeered bottle of Australian Shiraz. Uaneen had just been asked to copresent the Jacobs/2FM song contest on February 26th, with 2FM's Damien McCaul, which will be held in the Temple Bar Music Centre. Hugh was talking excitedly about the Crumlin singer songwriter Paddy Casey, whose first single is due out in April. Also there was the grande dame of Irish rock 'n' roll, Philomena Lynott. She is recovering well from the heart attack she had last June, and flies to London on 22nd of this month, to present the Phil Lynott memorial award at the Irish World's music awards. Although she knows who's getting the award, she was keeping mum.
Also enjoying the atmosphere were Mary Stokes who has just finished recording the Billy Holiday song Fine and Mellow with Georgie Fame, for her new CD out later this year; Dublin band Pelvis's guitarist Edward Reynolds, who is demo-ing tapes for the album out in the summer; Ding Dong Denny O'Reilly, who was on his way to his gig at Whelan's in Wexford Street; Hot Press editor Niall Stokes who was there with son, Ronan; DJ, dance music maestro, writer and now book-editor Donal Scannell and Darragh Purcell, host of tv3's Pop On 3.