OWNERS’ CLUB
Illustration – David HopkinsI
reland has just completed the Six Nations
grand slam on St Patrick ’s Day, so you can
understand why I’m writing this with a
slightly sore head. I flew out to the Caribbean
with the golfer and former Europe Ryder Cup
captain Paul McGinley and my wife Marie,
and I made sure the crew of Lush had set the
boat up so we could watch the game. It was also
a chance to celebrate Marie’s 60th birthday
(she’ ll kill me for mentioning her age. But
I’m turning 70 this year, so she’s got nothing
to worry about!).
Anyway, it all reminded me of one of
my most memorable moments on board. It
was a few years ago in Monaco and we were
celebrating Marie’s birthday on my Sunseeker
Blush. McGinley had just won the Ryder Cup
so we invited him and his wife Ali to stay on
the boat. Irish rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll
was on board as well with his wife Amy. We
were having a little drinks party and then
suddenly the door opens and Prince Albert
walks in unannounced carrying a gift for
Marie, followed 15 minutes later by Bono,
The Edge and Larry Mullen. The last member
of U2, Adam Clayton, then messaged us saying
he was in Sass Cafe so we all piled down there.
For one night, the Irish took over. It was just
one of those spontaneous things.I’ve had a few moments like that in my life.
I remember another time I was cruising of
Bequia in the Grenadines when I spotted
a boat called Tu g a t s u. I knew it was owned
by Mansour Ojjeh, who was joint owner of
McLaren with Ron Dennis at the time.
So we cruised up to the boat and it was
all very quiet and then suddenly there was
this avalanche of water bombs raining down
on us. People were throwing them from all
over the boat. Mansour is a real prankster,
but you know who was joining in? CatherineAs Eddie Jordan knows from sweet experience, there’s something about being
on a boat that makes celebrities relax. Then one thing leads to another...Lippy from the Lifey
Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. So these
Hollywood legends were pasting us with water
bombs. We went over to the yacht to have a
drink and had a great time.
When celebrities are in that environment,
they just relax – they know they’re not going
to be hounded for selfies. But it’s not the selfie
itself that’s frustrating, it’s that people never
seem to have the camera function ready. So you
end up standing there, gurning like an idiot
while this person fiddles with their phone.It’s amazing watching these mega stars get on
a boat. You see them visibly de-stress. I always
say to people on my boats, even VIPs: “Leave
your ego on the quayside. This is a free and
easy boat. Speech will not be recorded – do as
you would normally among your best mates
and enjoy the moment.” They like that because
their biggest fear is being recorded and havingsome of-the-cuf or unguarded comment
being plastered all over the internet.One of the biggest places for superyachts
and celebrities to mix is the Cannes Film
Festival. I’ve done it a few times and it’s not
really my scene. A good friend of mine is Liam
Cunningham, who’s in Game of Thrones. He’s
a Dublin boy and we love him. It can be fun if
a couple of the Hollywood Celts get together.
Cillian Murphy, Michael Fassbender and
James McAvoy are all so normal and natural.
Not long ago this guy came up to me and
asked for a selfie and I recognised him as Irish
actor Jamie Dornan, he of Fifty Shades fame.
Tobehonest,Ithinkhewastakingthepiss,
butevenso,howcoolisthat?BEddie Jordan’s fee for this column has been
donated to charity136