Happy Birthday Mr Taoiseach
An exclusive soirée as Leo hits the big
THE opulent Banking Hall in the exclusive Westin Hotel in Dublin was the venue last night for An Taoiseach’s Leo Varadkar’s 40th birthday bash.
But it was not the guests’ final port of call for the evening, as after dining in grandeur the party moved on to the Medley venue on nearby Fleet Street.
So closely guarded were the plans for the celebrations, that the curtains were drawn in the Banking Hall before guests descended – so they could be kept away from any prying eyes.
Because, of course, there are more than a jealous few who were not invited to this landmark birthday bash.
In fact, one female politician was reported to have broken down in tears in another favoured Dublin watering hole, Keogh’s bar on South Anne Street, during the week, when she learned
‘I’m not invited, I think it’s really petty’
there were two chances of a personal invite – slim to none.
The Irish Mail on Sunday last week revealed that the Taoiseach himself had set up a Whatsapp group to discuss the plans, and revelations about who was in – and crucially, who was left out of the chat group – were the talk of Leinster House all week.
But not all invitees were over-eager to attend, it seemed. EU Commissioner Phil Hogan made his excuses – he had to attend an important IFA meeting in Kilkenny, apparently.
Those who did find the time included Government Secretary General Martin Fraser, Department of Foreign Affairs adviser Chris Donohoe and Fine Gael exiteer Lucinda Creighton with her husband Paul Bradford. The party began in the Mint cocktail bar where guests enjoyed drinks before moving on upstairs. Afterwards, glasses of bubbly were laid out in the Medley.
But some TDs felt the Taoiseach made two blunders organising the soirée – he did not hold it in his Dublin West constituency, and he shattered the hopes of the uninvited who thought they were close to the Taoiseach.
Kate O’Connell said sarcastically during the week that she ‘would jump out of the cake’ at the party, but another high-profile TD said: ‘I am not invited. I think it’s really petty and I have been very helpful and supportive of the man in recent years.’