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From Thursday 20 to Saturday 22 September 2007 the CFE meetings took place in Dublin. The technical meetings of the General Assembly, the Fiscal Committee, Professional Affairs Committee and the Advisory Board of the Past Presidents were held in the conference center attached to the Croke Park Stadium which provided an impressive backdrop. The arena is the largest stadium venue in Ireland. Following its redevelopment, Croke Park has capacity for 82,300 people and in 2007 over 2 million people are expected to visit the stadium. Beside Irish sports the stadium regularly hosts major entertainment events such as famous rock stars such as U2 and Robbie Williams.

Committee Meetings

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the CFE Committee meetings took place namely the General Assembly, the Fiscal Committee, the Professional Affairs Committee and the Advisory Board of the Past Presidents.

Reception

The hosting Member Organisation, the Irish Taxation Institute, organised a very impressive opening reception on Thursday evening with entertainment by a traditional Irish harpist. Moreover we had the honour of welcoming the Minister of State at the Department of Finance Noel Ahern, TD. In addition our CFE President, Andrew Clarke and Mark Redmond the Chief Executive of the Irish Taxation Institute addressed the CFE Delegates.

On the first evening we had the pleasure to visit the Dublin City Hall which was built between 1769 and 1779. It is a particular fine example of 18th century architecture. The architect was Thomas Cooley. The main entrance hallway, the Rotunda has now been reinstated back to its original design. Today the exhibition “The exhibition Dublin’s City Hall - The Story of the Capital” is hosted there which gives an impressive insight about civic life in Dublin since medieval days.

Fabulous dinner at National Gallery

Other highlights of the very well organised social programme were a glamourous dinner on Friday night and a visit to the famous Trinity College and the Guinness Storehouse on Saturday. We had the pleasure to be hosted at the The National Gallery of Ireland which houses the national collection of Irish art and European master paintings. The collection spans from the 14th to the 20th centuries and includes all the major Continental Schools. Irish painting is charted from its re-emergence in the 17th century to Jack B. Yeats, Ireland’s most important 20th century artist. Portraits by Hamilton, Barry, Lavery and Orpen hang alongside a tradition of landscape (Roberts, O’Conor, Hone) and subject painting (Danby, Osborne, Leech).

After the lavish dinner, the world-renowend Irish band “Anuna” gave an unforgettable concert entertaining the Delegates to beautiful unaccompanied singing.

Tour on Saturday

On Saturday we were very lucky to have bright sunshine and blue skies in Dublin. Trinity College, founded in 1592, is the oldest university in Ireland. Trinity College is the sole constituent college of the University. At present there are over 12,000 students and 1,200 staff members working on the College campus. The history of Trinity College can be divided into four epochs - a century or so during which the foundations were laid, a period of colourful expansion extending over the eighteenth century, a consolidation and advancement in the nineteenth century, and a century of strenuous adaptation to a rapidly changing world.

“A Guinness a day”

Ireland is not only famous for its beautiful landscape, its charming houses and the affection its inhabitants but also for the great Guinness. Visiting the Guinness Storehouse in an exciting excursion. You do not only learn how Guinness is produced but you can taste it yourself! And on the top of the Guinness Storehouse which is actually shaped as a pint of Guinness – you have a marvelous view over Dublin.

+++ to order photos of the event, please click here +++