AGNES Bernelle's first husband Desmond Leslie was a most unexpected arrival at the launch of the veteran chanteuse's autobiography The Fun Palace at the Project Arts Centre on Tuesday evening. As Desmond's extramarital activities are detailed rather colourfully in the book, there was some trepidation as to how he would react to its publication.
But he flew from his home in the south of France for the party, proclaimed himself flattered by his portrayal in the book and was seen happily chatting away to Agnes's longtime partner Maurice Craig. The book, which details Agnes's years before she moved to Ireland, was written over six years with Maurice's persuasion and encouragement. He said you won't finish it until you start it and packed me off to Annaghmakerrig for a few weeks every year with a typewriter under my arm," says Agnes. "That's where it was written."
Bernard and Mary Loughlin, who run the writers' retreat, came to Dublin for the party, which was attended by a very diverse crowd including the exotic Marc Almond, best remembered for his Soft Cell days, and who is now one of Agnes's best friends, Agnes's daughter, filmmaker Antonia Leslie, her son Mark Leslie and his wife Cliona, Kildare horse breeders Julian and Victoria Lloyd, and performer Alan Amsby.