RSVP Nicolas Feuillatte Women of The Year Awards.

Well, RSVP magazine certainly knows how to throw a good party! At the Silversprings Hotel, the recent RSVP Nicolas Feuillatte Women of The Year awards took place with many fine, accomplished Munster women in the running for awards. The occasion was to celebrate women who have contributed at local, national and international level, whether excelling through charitable work, business, sport, entertainment or the media.
Hosted by TV3's Colette Fitzpatrick and 96FM's Neil Prendeville, it was a slick affair and a most enjoyable night.
County winners were Celia Holman Lee, Siun Nic Gearailt, Anna Manahan, Ann Norton and Teresa Irwin, while Cork winner Dr. Loretta Brennan Glucksman was also the overall winner. Each received a specially made award by Stephen Pearce.
As usual I met loads of interesting people - and there was plenty style to be admired.
I'm pictured above with Renata Murphy from Cork Chamber, always lively company, while below it's the wonderful Olive Roberts from the Capella Hotel in Castlemartyr, with whom I joined on the dancefloor with much vigor, despite wearing my highest heels... God help my poor toes!
Below again, I caught up with TV presenter Blaithnaid O'Donoghue (no relation!) who won the best dressed woman award on the night. At least I am on trend with my very similar colours!

Baltimore Fiddle Fair - Part two.

After only a few hours sleep, here we are embracing the day- taking a walk through a wonderful garden at a stately home not usually open to visitors. That's Geraldine, Mary (our super host) and I. Saw all sorts of beautiful flowers on a day which made you take stock and realise how great it is to be alive... you know those days?!
Then it was onto Glebe Gardens where there is a natural amphitheatre, the perfect setting for a day-time concert. Although the sky was grey, it was warm and pleasant and with the concert "stage" having a back-drop of the sea, it was really a magical place. Below is American musician and singer Laura Cortezi, a really feisty girl, (in the vein of KT Tunstall perhaps), who had not only a strong voice but a terrific sense of humour. In fact, that was a recurring feature - all the musicians in the line-up were jovial and passed on that sense of craic to the crowd.
At the end of the concert, a very special guest joined the musicians - none other than the handsome and talented, award-winning actor Jeremy Irons. Jeremy, who is based in West Cork, has been learning to play the fiddle for a TG4 series in which various celebrities take up an instrument, while their progress is captured in the course of the series. This concert in Baltimore was his "coming out concert", for want of a better word. This was the one in which he finally revealed whether or not he had mastered the art and technique. The audience certainly felt that he had mastered it anyway, as he got a great reception. Modest Jeremy admitted to having been nervous in the run-up to it, a feeling he would never have normally while treading the boards - I guess that's part of being outside one's comfort zone.

Three cheers for Jeremy!!

Another highlight was the brief appearance of a US dancer caled Nick, who I believe is currently studying here in Ireland. He had a unique style with tapping and shuffles that all built up from something soft to something rather more dramatic. He had the audience in the palm of his hand and you would literally have heard a pin drop (despite the music!)
The afternoon of music was being filmed for TG4, hence the cameras in this shot. The documentary series featring Jeremy Irons will be screened in the Autumn/Winter - so hopefully I will be tuned in to relive the day - and maybe see my mug in the crowd!

Baltimore Fiddle Fair - Part One

It was one of the best weekends I've had in ages - a few weekends ago now admittedly, due to my sluggish logging of material here!
I never considered myself a fan of fiddle music in paticular, while having nothing against it either - but the musicians we encountered were top notch and the craic was mighty.
Here I am with my friend Geraldine who should have been studying for her exams - and declared she was going to rise at dawn and return to the books (famous last words!). Way too much fun was to be had and - when we stayed up chatting and drinking until we could hear the birds singing, we knew her mission was in vain!

Here is the beautiful sunset at Baltimore.... A rare balmy night meant we sat outside the pub, looking at that view for hours ...bliss!
And some musicians giving some impromptu street entertainment and generally adding to the already good atmosphere...

Next time: Day Two.....!