Leo, Michael and Sean help bring back good old days
You know that the economy is back, or thereabouts, when there is a certain member of U2 in Luna on a Wednesday night having dinner with five other luminaries.
Notice how I didn’t say holding court? I am, of course, talking about the Simon Carmody Community’s favourite restaurant on Dublin’s Drury Street.
Furthermore, you perhaps know the recession is swiftly fading into the distance when Marcel’s on Merrion Row on a Tuesday afternoon has cultured hipsters Michael Colgan and Sean Mulryan holding a very definite court of sorts for 20 — to include heavy hitters from far and wide, okay Singapore, celebrating something seemingly desperately important.
They later delicately decamped — all 20 of them — from mighty Frank Gleeson’s Marcel’s to enjoy the rest of the day in O’Donoghue’s watering-hole across the road.
I’m imagining that Messrs Colgan and Mulryan (who will be working together as soon as Sir Michael leaves his plum post as artistic director of The Gate early-ish next year after 33 years as the Lord Of The Luvvies, when the talented Selina Cartmell takes over) and their Singapore investors enjoyed the odd Singapore Sling cocktail to celebrate their big deal.
Indeed, yet more proof of the good old days being almost back was found in Marcel’s last Saturday night when Leo Varadkar and three pals popped in for their evening repast. That’s dinner. So, it’s official. Marcel’s is clearly the new Unicorn. And Leo Varadkar the new Lucinda.
O’Sullivan, not Creighton.