The annual dinner of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland looms large on the February calendar. Taking place next Thursday, the shindig has become the biggest annual gathering of Irish property professionals, and with green shoots emerging in the industry confidence levels are up, with 1,200 estate agents and valuers, among others, planning to attend this year’s event, and a waiting list in place.

Dublin’s DoubleTree Hilton Hotel (formerly the Burlo) is the venue, and this year’s guest speaker will be a major draw. Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Ireland’s legendary Gaelic games commentator, will provide the after-dinner entertainment. Whether he will try to shoehorn property-related analogies into his material is unclear, but the assembled throng could probably do with inspiring tales of sporting achievements in the face of adversity given the last few gruelling years.