A village affair for rock star and first lady

It was meant to be a private affair but for once it wasn’t Bono’s megaphone voice that gave the game away.

“I thought this was a secret,” joked the U2 frontman arriving with wife Ali at Finnegan’s in Dalkey where he had invited “Michelle and the girls”, as they are known in Chez Hewson, to a casual pub lunch only to find the winding paths of the toytown village awash with celebrity-watchers.

The worst-kept secret in diplomatic and dining history cause huge excitement on the petite streets where American flags had unfurled overnight and early morning walkers were greeted by pleased looking sniffer dogs enjoying a break from airport duty.