Rihanna and O’Donoghue’s new opera

RiRi @ O'Donoghue's Dublin

The Bajan popster known to her neighbours in the Parish of St. Michael, Barbados, as Robyn Fenty and to the rest of the world by her middle name of Rihanna has added to the fame of one of my favourite Dublin Pubs, O’Donoghue’s. Famed for its traditional Irish music sessions and being the pub where the Dubliner’s started out it is so famous that it is the setting for a movie “O’Donoghue’s Opera.”

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2010/07/odonoghues-opera.html

Well its fame has increased as according to a report in the “Irish Independent” Rihanna mania hit Dublin last night as the superstar singer decided to host a dinner for 100 guests ahead of her concert tonight. The singer is in the city as part of her Loud Tour and is performing at the 02 in Dublin. She has been on the road for a long time and decided to give her band a Thanksgiving meal at O'Donoghue's, the old Dubliners' haunt which is also beloved by tourists in search of a music session.


RiRi fans outside O'Donoghue's

But it wasn't O’Donoghue’s traditional toasted sandwiches she was after - she had food delivered from top French restaurant Hugo’s, just across the road. She handpicked the menu, which included clam chowder soup followed by a traditional turkey dinner with mashed spuds, vegetables and cranberry sauce. Sweet potato mash, marshmallow sauce and macaroni and cheese were also on the tables.


O2 Dublin

As word spread that the megastar was inside the pub, fans began to arrive. Jamie Kelly (22) from Rathfarnham said he was waiting outside the pub after seeing Rihanna going in earlier. He said that she told him that she would come out afterwards to say hello. "I met her before two years ago," he said. She's lovely, really nice."

The reception she got in Dublin was like that of royalty compared to the day in September when she met farmer Alan Grahan (61), who pulled up beside her in his tractor in Bangor, Co Down - and told her to cover up.


RiRi being loud

While I say O’Donoghue’s is one of my fav. Dublin Pubs the last time I arranged to meet friends there it was full to the door and we had to decamp to Foleys across the road where we enjoyed some very happy hours. I don’t know what that other great O’Donoghue’s institution Con the Barman thought of RiRi and her entourage but as Con is very trend aware I’d imagine it would be ”Yo man! That girl iz well slack!”

See also; Dublin Rambles

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2011/09/dublin-rambles.html