DUBLIN SCENES AND SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 951, 19 October 1910, Page 11

DUBLIN SCENES AND SOCIETY.

LORD PLTJNKET AT HOME. ■' .. [BY'Ainmi RCTHERFOED.] Dublin at Show Time, ~.' Brilliant weather favoured the opening .day-of ■ thoi forty-third annual horse, show of the. Royal Dublin • Society on August 23. Sunshine—and lain—floodedthe grounds, arid,' at times; those .suitably .attired in-coats ; and skirts tound. the. heat rather 'trying. . ■ r Tie number ■of Continental visitorß was large,: while 'English and Scotch ■men.could be reckoned by the thousand. •Dublin was full. A number of hotels and restaurants had got their hours of opening extended) and'the streets were' thronged with people from afar; many slept in bathrooms and on billiard .tables. Dublin made the most of-its: harvest. . So much was on., There were two race meetings' , at Leopardstown, and one at Phoenix-Park- also a polo tournament, a special aviation meeting and, as an additional piece of excite-, ment to the "general festivities, the city tore itself asunder, over, the John-son-Jeffries'fight. that were being shown, for.the first .time in Europe. ■■ To the average-.person in searcji of 'amusement,. the ordinary, show, where there is nothing much to do except' walk round and look at sleeping beasts, tends .to become stodgy. At the Dub : . lin Show, with superb horses galloping ■round the"rings."the day.: through, there was, always life and ' interest. Judging was.extremely keen, horses being .sent round at. tho gallop again : and agamij'-'-It must be; confessed..that the' :weight-carrying; hunter's, which, are the most; 'important. section at this show, were a., disappointing lot. Thie ' has been a lean"year for. horses throughout Ireland;'. .Agents' for the French, German,'_'an.d .Italian!-armies have, been scouring the counties■ for weeks.past;'; ■■'they -/used to employ'lrish dealer's, but now "they ..do .their Work themselves, !

Lord and Lady Meath. , ■"■ Tie ..Countess, of; Meath gave a large garden party at,Kilbruddery, Bray, on August .23,' at which the : - county' was numerously represented. The old home lies .almost!'at;the! footv.of.'Bray Hill,; ;aiid from. the. : bowling: g.:een—used by-' jbhe-'iMonks, the .fifteenth, 'centuryone could obtain' an exo'iillent. view of the : exterisi'ye lawns,! ; tho I sparkling founiairie, .and.orderly:gardens; beyond, the! fine ...pile!of', buildings and 'the purple heather-clad hills; '•;After!-tea-1. walked withv-ease'ito! I the.; top! -oi.. Bray: Hill— quite: a walk'■; it was, along'.'the^iiarrow : patli..-'.ihat wound;;.be-: tween •'.stately elms,;,maples, and rowansj crossed ■ over several; quaint 1 ruStjo bridges' Once I rested on,a : n alluring . wicker,;-seat; of. .course; ; .it ,wasn't'•■ a bit. comfortable, but I • knew I ilpoked■.■artistic; ■ arid : !that.made ;iip ; ;for , ; a;_g"rea-i; deal;' -Lady Meath keeping in "mind/the , 'fact;that. we iwere. "complete .strangers, .'introduced '.us; to ■ almost ■ 'all. 'her .guests,'',and, !;as -Prince: Fer'naridb. ■of.Spain was present, we;felt mosf.fprvtuiiate. : , _.":A- : , ';;'.■ ■■';:.',', '.■-'■'■/. \ :; . .■'■.:.

• At; the Vice: Regal '.Lodge. ■ ; -;; v : ; (■:.;■; ! iupn'Friday'eyeningVW^-dined'at : th 6 'vice-regal .lodge;■ the'; court -..is ;'still;- iu deep -. mourning;-,' l so_ ;-.that. 'the' >effective pink, flqralf.decojratipns :were! somewhat marred by black- gowns:/ of, (the;, ladies • present.;<;''; .Signor,/.Marconi '.spent the >wijek^iid.viwith'-.'. Lpfcl■ :; .,-!and- ; Xady!Aberdeen,. ;' , an'd ; ,'it":goes'- without , saying that ■:he//vra,s:''the ymost.-interesir jhg; of the'igentlemeii,:whom;'_we>.-inet.'; ;He;; didn't,; talk f !; "shop,"; : aiid; :: seemed pleased! to; meet' - a'-girlv'-vvho'knew r : a: littlb 'about Jibreea; v.He "said that - ; ho ■Had come to Ireland; prepared to near 'the; word "horse" on- all/ lips, and hehad .been > disappointed.-' ■.; "Her.:. Excel-; lency, who'.woreia'lhandsoirie; gown.,',of ; .iblack■-.- satin. I ; : charineuse, ■. and' a vheavy? ■rope:- of r pearls, kmdlyVsent' .all 'her fooiise; party/, off;-to.''the'Royal Hospital belli-,--Xho;sbcietj■'ipapers; called; it the most ; brilliant Social; function' of, .the. year, but I; shall just 'have 'to -tell what' impressed me.most; •;;'■■'; :■.■■'■ ..'/ V; Some weeks ago the. demand for,-ad-, mission cards: lie.came 'so;, pressing that^• for; : severalvidays.",beforehand, tho.issue' ofVpermits, had ;'.j:o.i.be. ; ;stopped- to ■'pre--vent. .overcrowding,- and 'the wisdom ■;of ■this .coursetwas manifest' in 'the.. , crowd-'; ed of''.'fair women;; and brave men,"! who.; thronged. the;- great hall, where''ithe.:^dancing -was- v held.;. [The approaches' ; to :'the- ballroom' '.were decorated with' : 'arid an i air of old-time; splendour/was. lent to;;_the Burrbundings by : the wealth of curios and armour of all ages; the tattered ensigns waving overhead, making! an impressive, appearance, and eloquently ■ recalling past glories. The mess , uniforms of the officers 'blend-ed..,}-'charmingly with ; the, beautiful dresses worn by the' ladies, whoso displays of diamonds arid pearls scintillated on all sides, and served to increase the brilliancy of the scene.

Biplanes and Aviation. '' .On August 30 there was great excitement over the: aviation meeting, at Leopardstown/ and it being :,-the first day thousands, went out; from town to witness the flights of such notable aviators as Mr. Drexel and Mr. Grace arid many others. The day was most successful from every , conceivable standpoint. Unfortunately for myself, I was not present, arid so I really cannot tell you anything about it, 'but on the second day I went out, and had a good seat on the large stand. Although the wind did riot appear to be strong— to those on at any rateit was of so serious a character as to interfere with the carrying out of the programme. Amidst a thrill of excitement Grace arose in his biplane, performed a circle 6f the course, speeding about half a mile towards Ballycorns. Taking a second circle his machine, to. the distress of the onlookers, dipped suddenly while passing the stand, , and, a few seconds later, he touched the ground. In order, to mark their appreciation of Mr. Grace's plucky. effort, the crowd cheered him lustily. Mr. Drexel made no attempt tO fly. . ■..-.;,• .... ■ :•. ■■•.:■ Intrepid Lady Powcrscourt.

Thero was but one costume of note at -this meeting,, but .it occupied all the attention of the ladies and gentlemen.- When Lady Powerscourt—for it was she, who had hoped to ascend with Mr. Drexel—appeared; in ' aviation; attire, with a short kilted skirt, tight coat, cap, plaid stockings, and light shoes. Great excitement was aroused; ae_ everybody present, including the •ayiatrix herself, expected the promised flight. Patiently wo all waited, and many conjectures wore afoot as to what would happen. . In the meantime, Lady Powerscourt's costume was the subject of conversation on all sides, remarks being made as:to its artistic appearance, the probability of its finding an introduction . in somo way in tho coming fashion, and its suitability to the ordinary figure. ■; If Dublin mud was taken into 'consideration, drab tints would certainly be adopted. The uncertainty of tho wind and the indecision of the aviators lent more value to the brave lady's attempt, and while she was tho envy of the loss daring, it is a' great triumph' to women's cause that many of tlie fair sex at the meeting were also willing to venture. Meeting Lord and Lady Plunket. Lord and Lady Plunket were present .at most of last week's festivities. I

think tho former misses the daily routine of a Governor's life, but -Lady Plunkot looks exceptionally well and' happy. On Wednesday, at Ballsbridge,.. she wore the daintiest'of 'mauve. ninon'frocks and a largo purple hat. It was her fust public appearance with Lord Plunket since his return from New. Zealand, and it was a pleasure to see-* h6w warmly.they were welcomed back, by their old friends. At the hospital'' ball we saw them both. Our ex-Gover-nor took my sister into supper. Per*! haps, who knows ? he' was pleased to* see some New Zealanders.