For once, it wasn't the Minister for Foreign Affairs pulling the strings at Iveagh House. Brian Cowen was in New York, but in his absence on Tuesday evening the wonderful young artistes of the Royal Irish Academy of Music Chamber Orchestra, accompanied by the great pianist, John O'Conor, filled his opulent St Stephen's Green suite with glorious melody.
John's wife, Mary, and son Keith were in the audience. Their other son, The Young Poisoner's Handbook star Hugh, is making a film in Prague.
Also enjoying the performance were the barrister Siobhβn Brady, the pianist ThΘrΦse Fahy, the musician Iarlaith Carter and Christian Stokes, who co-owns the trendy Bang CafΘ with twin brother Simon.
The evening began with fiddler Marie-Louise Bowe's haunting solo, An Ch·ilfhionn, dedicated to all those who died on September 11th. That was followed by music from Mozart, Samuel Barber, Arthur Duff and John Kinsella.
John O'Conor and the ensemble set off this week on a tour of some of the US's finest venues. They will perform for the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in New York on Thursday, and at the St Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan on Friday to raise money for the Father Mychal Judge Fund, in honour of the priest who died in the Twin Towers attacks. But you can catch them before they go at St Ann's Church on Dawson Street in Dublin on Monday at 8 p.m. (tickets at door).
