Sinn Féin Bigwigs Attend Bobby Sands Memorial Dinner
By Turlough Delaney | May 6, 2008
Adams and McDonald taking questions before the
prestigious event
The movers and shakers of Sinn Féin were decked out in their designer threads last night in Dublin’s Mansion House, where they attended the party’s gala memorial banquet marking the 27th anniversary of Bobby Sands’s death.
Approximately 500 party heavyweights and special guests were treated to a four-course gourmet meal as they paid tribute to the republican icon who died in 1981 after 66 days on hunger strike.
The €1000-a-head event was organised by Chairde Sinn Féin with the proceeds going towards the No Campaign for Lisbon Treaty referendum – apparently – of which Sinn Féin are the most prominent opponents.
On arrival guests were entertained by singer Sinéad O’Connor at the pre-dinner drinks reception in the foyer. As they took their seats in the main dining hall, invitees were then treated to a solemn recital of Sands’s average poetry by actor Stephen Rea.
Unfortunately, Mr Rea had to abandon the reading as his words were soon drowned out by the boisterous camaraderie of old comrades, no doubt aided by the seemingly never-ending flow of wine.
It was then onto the meal; starting with a filet mignon appetizer, thin slices of tenderloin roast beef, lightly drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with cress and served with a variety of condiments.
The first course consisted of early summer mixed vegetables and nuts, sautéd and served in lightly-cooked pastry pudding shells. For the main course, diners were confronted with the task of consuming a herbified beauf roast with an eschallotte garlic sauce.
If they had any room left after all that, guests then had the dessert to contend with – panna cotta al fresco served with a rich chocolate moose.
Needless to say, throughout the four courses, diners found their glasses constantly replenished with a choice of Champagne, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness looked very content after the meal: “Yes, it was delicious, better than the muck they serve in Stormont, I can tell you that…
“I saw Alex Maskey wander into the kitchen afterwards, he says he was merely paying his regards to the chef in person, I know him better than that – he was looking for a doggy bag so he was. The hungry fucker’s never satisfied.”
Token respectable Shinner Mary Lou MacDonald was also complimentary of the chef, but did have one complaint: “We could have done without the slide show of images from the H-Block during the strike. After seeing photos of the dirty protest I couldn’t really touch my chocolate moose to be honest with you.”
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was due to give the main after-dinner speech, but found himself unable to as he was “overcome” with emotion – and indigestion.
However later on in the evening he was able to muster up the effort to brandish a steaknife and declare to thunderous applause that he’d “love it if Thatcher were here so I could stick this up her hole”.
Former colleague of Sands and hunger striker survivor Jamsie McCullen was another VIP guest at the gala event. “All the way through the meal my thoughts kept going back to Bobby – he would have loved to have been here tonight with the rest of us.
“People don’t realise it but Bobby really loved his grub. So it was even harder for him to give up food than the rest of us, particularly me – I was always a bit of a fussy eater so I didn’t mind the first few days as much. Fortunately the strike was called off when I was into my third week.
“Obviously Bobby was well into his strike by the time I started, and I remember him turning to me at one point and saying, ‘Christ, Jamsie, I’m bleedin’ starvin’ so I am – what I’d do for a batter sausage now’.”
One person who didn’t stay for the after-dinner céilidh was Dublin TD Aengus O’Snodaigh: “Tá Bobby Sands mo hero growing up. Bhí sé really cool,” he told reporters as he left. “Anois, tá me ag still ocras, I’m going to Abrakebabra . Excusez moi.”
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