2011 - One Day At A Time!: Day 96 - Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

In the glorious sunshine, I headed by taxi in the early evening to The Helix at Dublin City University to be Master of Ceremonies for the 17th time for the 26th Annual DCU Societies Awards. (Am I as old as 17 for this to be possible? I simply hadn't realised!) After a brief run-through with Show Director Shea McNeilis, it was time for the Nominees' Wine Reception in the Albert College building where guest of honour Senator David Norris arrived at the stroke of the appointed time of 6pm, and he was in effervescent form from the off.

The Nominees Dinner took place at 7pm and a very fine feast it was too, of tomato soup, supreme of chicken and raspberry roulade. Onwards to the Helix for the main event where the 300 guests were treated to a rousing opening from the Traditional Music society. Time to take to the stage, greet the guests, introduce the acts and announce the winners in the 6 different categories.

Senator Norris' address was a rousing affair and he has definitely secured a few hundred votes for his Irish Presidential bid later in the autumn. Star of the show was Lisa Hopper, winning the Best Fresher award, and bringing the house down with an acapella number which prompted me to quip that the Senator should book her to sing at his inauguration - hopefully it happens!

The ceremony at an end, it was time to evacuate en masse into the lobby where DJ Shea span wheels of steel of the most unashamed cheese, which the revellers loved! It was a pleasure to lead one of the lengthy "boats" of Rock The Boat and the even lengthier Locomotion train which snaked along a number of inter-connected floors! The crowd kept baying for more, and the choons continued until 2.15am!