I spent an enjoyable evening listening to the Longford Lecture by Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland.

As usual, some fascinating people also attended (including the QC reputed to be the best Human Rights expert in the world, Ed Fitzgerald, who happens to be representing me in Europe).

Jon Snow hosted on behalf of the Longford Trust.

Mary gave a terrific, uplifting, positive speech. I remembered the last time I was in Dublin I spent time in the kitchen at the palace there (not the right word but you know what I mean) grabbing a snack with Ronan Keating after winning Eurovision for the UK ten years ago.

What a lot of water has gone under that bridge!