mad1
ONE love, blood, life
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Starting out with a pint of Guinness at The Old House pub in Kildare - the two racegoers bellied up comfortably against the bar and slowly downed their pints of Guinness. They had spent the day at the races in Naas and, like thousands of others on a sunny bank holiday evening, were on their way back to Dublin.
As they stood in the near-empty bar of The Old House in the nearby Co. Kildare village of Kill, their talk - like that of the smattering of other punters in the 200-year-old pub's dimly-lit interior - was of the day's winners and losers.
They made a somewhat incongruous couple - the older man, his long, silver-gray hair trailing down his back and lower lip adorned with an elegant goatee, wore a baseball cap and sunglasses. His younger companion, eyes also hidden by shades, wore a loosely knotted black tie over his blue, denim shirt. But few of the other drinkers in The Old House last Monday afternoon paid the new-comers much attention. Few, that is, until one eagle-eyed customer realised that these were indeed no ordinary racegoers - and that the group of heavily built men who stood by were in fact bodyguards for two of the world's biggest celebrities.
She seized her mobile phone started texting far and wide, alerting astonished friends to the presence in the village pub of the world's biggest rock star, U2's Bono, and the man who had just been nominated in a poll of British film fans as the second greatest movie actor of all time, Robert De Niro.
In no time, the early afternoon trickle of regulars became a flood of sceptical stargazers who wanted to see for themselves the proof of this astonishing news.
For once, Bono took a back-seat as De Niro's largely female fan base clamoured for snaps with their hero. 'Well, are we going to have an avalanche?' smiled the Taxi Driver and Goodfellas star at their first request. His burly, bodyguard interjected: 'You don't want to do this.'
But De Niro, 60, ignored the warning, removed his cap and glasses and slung his arm around the bedazzled female fan. Just as the bodyguard clicked on the camera, two more women sprang into the frame, thus freezing forever in time their encounter with Robert De Niro.
It was the first of many photographs De Niro, who was on a short break from filming in Spain, posed for on a Monday afternoon.
As he balanced his need for privacy with the desire to express appreciation to the gracious host who was showing him such a pleasant time, the man who has made a life-long career out of playing tough guys let drop his enigmatic mask and relaxed.
Thanks to his remarkable talent for friendship and his longevity on the international celebrity circuit, Bono has brought countless famous people to this country over the years. Names such as Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and now DeNiro have come here because of Bono and his willingness to show them a good time.
Bono's stunning home with panoramic views in Killiney and the services of his city-centre Clarence Hotel are permanently at the disposal of his endless string of A-list celebrities, whenever they come calling.
And Bono, with his easy entree into every walk of Irish life, is happy to cater for their every wish. So when De Niro, who flew into Ireland from Paris on a private G5 Gulfstream jet last weekend, made two requests - to visit a traditional Irish pub and go racing - Bono snapped into action. He phoned his friend, solicitor, property developer and well-known Kildare man, who has a corporate box at Naas Racecourse, and made the arrangements.
The man, who was delighted to show the high-powered duo some hospitality, also brought them to the parade ring where they met trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Pat Smullen.
Then it was on to the Old House in Kill. As their entourage, which included Caffrey, drank champagne, Bono and De Niro opted for Guinness. Just as they were making their getaway, De Niro was stopped by a fan.
'I asked: 'Any chance of a photograph,' said the local woman. 'He took off his hat, glasses and put his arm around me. His bodyguard took a lovely photograph of the two of us with my small camera'.
'I nearly had a heart attack when I walked into my local and saw him. I actually thought he was a farmer at first
lol:..)...He had the hat on and the jacket on, the whole lot.' 'His entourage were trying to get him out the door but he waited and did the photograph with me. Although he looks big on screen, De Niro is only about 5ft 6ins. I was shocked by that.'
De Niro was in the bar for about 90 mins before leaving for Caffrey's mansion in Co Kildare. That evening, they all enjoyed dinner in the Clarence Hotel's Tea Rooms at a party hosted by Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson.
The 14 diners included man-about-town Simon Carmody, and Trinity students India Clarke and Rebecca McMillan of the famous English publishing dynasty whose brother, Dan, is a former beau of Jade Jagger. Also present were Abrakadabra owners Graeme and Margaret Beere who share De Niro's passion for polo. De Niro, who is something of a foodie, paid compliments to chef Anthony Ely who came to the Clarence three years ago via The Square in London.
When the meal was over, Bono, De Niro and his entourage drove to Dublin Airport where they boarded a jet for New York.
In the Big Apple, Bono once again displayed his social side - clowning around with Bridget Jones's Diary star Renee Zellweger and Scottish Actor Ewan McGregar at the launch of the Tribeca Film Festival which De Niro set up.
McGregor is no stranger to Dublin either. He was here two years ago filming Nora in which he played the part of James Joyce.
But one suspects that it will not be long before we will see Zellweger in town, too. Perhaps she'll be shopping on Grafton St. or socialising in Lillies or Renards but, whatever it is, she will surely be in the company of Bono.
****************
Starting out with a pint of Guinness at The Old House pub in Kildare - the two racegoers bellied up comfortably against the bar and slowly downed their pints of Guinness. They had spent the day at the races in Naas and, like thousands of others on a sunny bank holiday evening, were on their way back to Dublin.
As they stood in the near-empty bar of The Old House in the nearby Co. Kildare village of Kill, their talk - like that of the smattering of other punters in the 200-year-old pub's dimly-lit interior - was of the day's winners and losers.
They made a somewhat incongruous couple - the older man, his long, silver-gray hair trailing down his back and lower lip adorned with an elegant goatee, wore a baseball cap and sunglasses. His younger companion, eyes also hidden by shades, wore a loosely knotted black tie over his blue, denim shirt. But few of the other drinkers in The Old House last Monday afternoon paid the new-comers much attention. Few, that is, until one eagle-eyed customer realised that these were indeed no ordinary racegoers - and that the group of heavily built men who stood by were in fact bodyguards for two of the world's biggest celebrities.
She seized her mobile phone started texting far and wide, alerting astonished friends to the presence in the village pub of the world's biggest rock star, U2's Bono, and the man who had just been nominated in a poll of British film fans as the second greatest movie actor of all time, Robert De Niro.
In no time, the early afternoon trickle of regulars became a flood of sceptical stargazers who wanted to see for themselves the proof of this astonishing news.
For once, Bono took a back-seat as De Niro's largely female fan base clamoured for snaps with their hero. 'Well, are we going to have an avalanche?' smiled the Taxi Driver and Goodfellas star at their first request. His burly, bodyguard interjected: 'You don't want to do this.'
But De Niro, 60, ignored the warning, removed his cap and glasses and slung his arm around the bedazzled female fan. Just as the bodyguard clicked on the camera, two more women sprang into the frame, thus freezing forever in time their encounter with Robert De Niro.
It was the first of many photographs De Niro, who was on a short break from filming in Spain, posed for on a Monday afternoon.
As he balanced his need for privacy with the desire to express appreciation to the gracious host who was showing him such a pleasant time, the man who has made a life-long career out of playing tough guys let drop his enigmatic mask and relaxed.
Thanks to his remarkable talent for friendship and his longevity on the international celebrity circuit, Bono has brought countless famous people to this country over the years. Names such as Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and now DeNiro have come here because of Bono and his willingness to show them a good time.
Bono's stunning home with panoramic views in Killiney and the services of his city-centre Clarence Hotel are permanently at the disposal of his endless string of A-list celebrities, whenever they come calling.
And Bono, with his easy entree into every walk of Irish life, is happy to cater for their every wish. So when De Niro, who flew into Ireland from Paris on a private G5 Gulfstream jet last weekend, made two requests - to visit a traditional Irish pub and go racing - Bono snapped into action. He phoned his friend, solicitor, property developer and well-known Kildare man, who has a corporate box at Naas Racecourse, and made the arrangements.
The man, who was delighted to show the high-powered duo some hospitality, also brought them to the parade ring where they met trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Pat Smullen.
Then it was on to the Old House in Kill. As their entourage, which included Caffrey, drank champagne, Bono and De Niro opted for Guinness. Just as they were making their getaway, De Niro was stopped by a fan.
'I asked: 'Any chance of a photograph,' said the local woman. 'He took off his hat, glasses and put his arm around me. His bodyguard took a lovely photograph of the two of us with my small camera'.
'I nearly had a heart attack when I walked into my local and saw him. I actually thought he was a farmer at first
lol:..)...He had the hat on and the jacket on, the whole lot.' 'His entourage were trying to get him out the door but he waited and did the photograph with me. Although he looks big on screen, De Niro is only about 5ft 6ins. I was shocked by that.'De Niro was in the bar for about 90 mins before leaving for Caffrey's mansion in Co Kildare. That evening, they all enjoyed dinner in the Clarence Hotel's Tea Rooms at a party hosted by Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson.
The 14 diners included man-about-town Simon Carmody, and Trinity students India Clarke and Rebecca McMillan of the famous English publishing dynasty whose brother, Dan, is a former beau of Jade Jagger. Also present were Abrakadabra owners Graeme and Margaret Beere who share De Niro's passion for polo. De Niro, who is something of a foodie, paid compliments to chef Anthony Ely who came to the Clarence three years ago via The Square in London.
When the meal was over, Bono, De Niro and his entourage drove to Dublin Airport where they boarded a jet for New York.
In the Big Apple, Bono once again displayed his social side - clowning around with Bridget Jones's Diary star Renee Zellweger and Scottish Actor Ewan McGregar at the launch of the Tribeca Film Festival which De Niro set up.
McGregor is no stranger to Dublin either. He was here two years ago filming Nora in which he played the part of James Joyce.
But one suspects that it will not be long before we will see Zellweger in town, too. Perhaps she'll be shopping on Grafton St. or socialising in Lillies or Renards but, whatever it is, she will surely be in the company of Bono.
****************
