Michael D’s fan club holds AGM at the Solomon
It was a bit of a foregone conclusion he’d walk it, anyway, wasn’t it? So last Thursday week — on the night before the presidential election vote — Michael D could totes chillax as he pitched up at the Solomon Gallery with his wife Sabina for the John Behan Seven Ages of Man exhibition. It was formally opened by the artist Mick O’Dea, who coincidentally also painted the official portrait of Michael D two years ago. During his speech Mick flashed his “vote for Michael D” badge...well, it was the eve of the unveiling of Michael D’s second term... sorry, I mean, the election.
From the reaction at the Solomon you’d think it was the rather colourful AGM of Michael D’s fan club. Of which Michael D is, of course, the president. Only teasing, Michael.
The crowd to witness it all included the actors Stephen Rea and Stephen Brennan, the renowned Australian artist John Kelly (now living in West Cork), the sculptor Rowan Gillespie (whose sculptures of Irish convict women were launched by Michael D Higgins in Tasmania last year during his State visit to Australia) plus one of my favourite authors at the moment, Emily Hourican. This is to say nothing of Marie Heaney and her sister Ann Devlin. Marie had scooted up to the opening from their house in Wicklow where she was being filmed for a documentary on Seamus. She was telling John that the Human Chain sculpture he made for herself and Seamus was their most prized possession.
An old neighbour of mine, RTE’s Bryan Dobson, who also owns some of Behan’s work, was also present.