THE SOCIAL NETWORK:Designer Michael Mortell's new antiques shop on Francis Street, Dublin, was so packed on Thursday evening for its opening that Mortell had to stand on a chair to introduce the artist Guggi.
“I’ve played some small stages in my day as a member of The Virgin Prunes,” said Guggi as he balanced himself, “but I never played a chair.” The artist said that he was introduced to surrealism when, as a young man from Ballymun, he was walking through Switzers one day and saw Mortell and another man on their knees admiring the embroidery on a small pink ladies’ purse.
Mortell is known as “Mikey Mike” to his friends, one of whom, Gary Jermyn, decided to compose and sing a ditty to mark the occasion. One of the verses went: “You can keep your John Rochas or your Lainey Keoghs/Mairead Whisker or Paul Costello/ Mikey Mike’s king of fashion with his exquisite eye/ That’s something that everyone knows.”
Mortell’s partner, Oonagh Finn, couldn’t decide on what to wear. She arrived late, having eventually settled on a Dries Van Noten dress. Christine Ryall, Christies’ representative in Ireland, opted for Versace. She gave Mortell a catalogue for Christies’ Mount Congreve sale which was hot off the press.
Eileen McGeough, from Rockforest House in Mallow, Co Cork and now living in Blackrock, Co Dublin, caught up with Rose Kelly. Kelly’s husband, the publisher Kevin Kelly, inspired Mortell along his chosen path. Reading “Kelly’s The World of Interiors was akin to hearing The Rolling Stones for the first time,” said Mortell.
Michael Maughan had just come from a party at the Chester Beatty Library to celebrate the conservation of The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter.
Vineyard owner Gay McGuinness of Domaine des Anges supplied the wine.
Mortell invited his neighbouring antique dealers on Francis Street, former fashion designer-turned-antique dealer Patrick Howard and Mark Maguire of Connaught Antiques.
Who we spotted:
Norma Smurfit; Gavin Friday; Patricia Mortell; Michael Colgan; Martin Fennelly of Martin Fennelly Antiques; Sinead Finn of Sinead Finn Landscapes; Louisa Carroll of The Gate Lab; model-turned-psychotherapist Hannah Jacob
