DUBLIN PARTY:FIGURES DRAWN from Irish politics, culture, sport, business, media and charities will join Queen Elizabeth and President Mary McAleese for what has been described as an "indoor garden party" at the Convention Centre in Dublin's Docklands on Thursday.
The event, which is being hosted by the British embassy and organised with the assistance of developer Harry Crosbie, will feature acts including Westlife, the Chieftains, the National Symphony Orchestra, X Factor star Mary Byrne, and former Eurovision winner Eimear Quinn.
It will also include a performance by Riverdance, readings from Irish literature, and a fashion show featuring designs by John Rocha, Louise Kennedy and MS.
A source described the 2,000-strong guest list as “speaking to the wide range of shared interests across the British-Irish relationship”.
Invitees include representatives of the Cabinet, the Garda, the Defence Forces, the judiciary and Government bodies such as Enterprise Ireland and CIÉ. Several contributors to the Northern Ireland peace process are expected to attend, including former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former SDLP leader John Hume, former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Ken Bloomfield, Lord Robin Eames, former Fine Gael Donegal TD Paddy Harte, former GAA president and now Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly, and Des Rea, who served as the first chairman of the Northern Ireland policing board.
The guest list includes church leaders and representatives of North-South bodies, universities, and charities including Co-operation Ireland.
Concern chief executive Tom Arnold, Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay, American Ireland Fund president Kieran McLoughlin, and Goal chief executive John O’Shea are among those due to attend.
Some 200 business people from Irish, international and UK multinational and SMEs have been invited, including Martin Naughton, founder and owner of Glen Dimplex, Marc Boland, chief executive of MS, Paul Rellis, managing director of Microsoft Ireland, Eddie O’Connor, chief executive of Mainstream Renewable Power, and Patrick Coveney, chief executive of Greencore.
Figures from the arts including Michael Colgan, director of the Gate theatre, and sports personalities including Jack Charlton, Ronan O’Gara and Derval O’Rourke are also due to attend.