JCOSTER
ONE love, blood, life
Bono checks into hotel tycoon's bash
Sunday November 11 2007
SO did they sing Happy Birthday, Mr President for their host? Well, no, actually, but none the less Bono and The Edge were proud guests at Irish property tycoon Derek Quinlan's 60th birthday beano in Claridge's in London last weekend. Did I mention that Quinlan actually owns the famous hotel? So the pair -- that's Bono and the Edge -- could have lifted the rafters. But, hey, I forgot they have a hotel of their own to do that in, if they like. Bono might even have composed a song about the Irony of Irish property giants going to London to mark their birthdays when the Irish property market is crashing.
However, since the world is a small place, I should mention that Quinlan is an investor in Bono and the boys' Clarence, so I guess that song would not have been appropriate.
Quinlan's company bought The Savoy Group -- which included the Savoy, Claridge's, Berkeley and Connaught hotels in London -- in 2004. Del Boy later sold the Savoy Hotel to the Bank of Scotland and Saudi billionaire, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Alsaud. He also owns the Four Seasons hotels in Milan, Budapest, Prague, and, of course, Ballsbridge.
There was no shortage of guests willing to make the short journey to London to help Quinlan -- and his beautiful wife Siobhan --celebrate his big day. Gerry Purcell and his wife, Aisling, Paul and Margaret Anderson (Shrewsbury Road neighbours of Quinlan's), former Attorney General and Four Seasons investor Dermot Gleason and solicitor Peter Donnelly.
Doubtless, the U2 star and the birthday boy enjoyed a long conversation on An Taisce's on-going difficulties with the various planning permissions to extend the Clarence. Or maybe Bono, who has property investments in New York, was looking for advice from Quinlan, who has a giant portfolio in America: last year his company paid $18.7m for a five-storey Upper East Side townhouse with its own wood-panelled library, a garden and elevator straight to the top. Where it's tough, I'm told.
Sunday November 11 2007
SO did they sing Happy Birthday, Mr President for their host? Well, no, actually, but none the less Bono and The Edge were proud guests at Irish property tycoon Derek Quinlan's 60th birthday beano in Claridge's in London last weekend. Did I mention that Quinlan actually owns the famous hotel? So the pair -- that's Bono and the Edge -- could have lifted the rafters. But, hey, I forgot they have a hotel of their own to do that in, if they like. Bono might even have composed a song about the Irony of Irish property giants going to London to mark their birthdays when the Irish property market is crashing.
However, since the world is a small place, I should mention that Quinlan is an investor in Bono and the boys' Clarence, so I guess that song would not have been appropriate.
Quinlan's company bought The Savoy Group -- which included the Savoy, Claridge's, Berkeley and Connaught hotels in London -- in 2004. Del Boy later sold the Savoy Hotel to the Bank of Scotland and Saudi billionaire, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Alsaud. He also owns the Four Seasons hotels in Milan, Budapest, Prague, and, of course, Ballsbridge.
There was no shortage of guests willing to make the short journey to London to help Quinlan -- and his beautiful wife Siobhan --celebrate his big day. Gerry Purcell and his wife, Aisling, Paul and Margaret Anderson (Shrewsbury Road neighbours of Quinlan's), former Attorney General and Four Seasons investor Dermot Gleason and solicitor Peter Donnelly.
Doubtless, the U2 star and the birthday boy enjoyed a long conversation on An Taisce's on-going difficulties with the various planning permissions to extend the Clarence. Or maybe Bono, who has property investments in New York, was looking for advice from Quinlan, who has a giant portfolio in America: last year his company paid $18.7m for a five-storey Upper East Side townhouse with its own wood-panelled library, a garden and elevator straight to the top. Where it's tough, I'm told.
Thanks for the update JC!! 
I think this was the intent of JC's updating.
ray:
what is it??
