At a gala formal dinner on Thursday night some 1,000 guests, around 50 of them female, gathered for an exclusive dinner where they listened to minister for finance Brian Cowen and were entertained by John Humphries.

More informal entertainment came from watching Bank of Ireland chief executive Brian Goggin and IBOA union boss Larry Broderick engaged in what can best be described as a 'frank exchange of views', industry sources tell the Sunday Tribune.

The IBOA, which represents roughly half of Bank of Ireland's 16,000 employees, is preparing its submission to the Labour Court this week over the disputed pensions scheme. Employees will face an Amicus union picket at the bank's Baggot Street headquarters on 15 November.

Meanwhile, in a good position to observe the sparring was Paul Kenny, the Pensions Ombudsman, seated at the IBOA table, which not only offered a view of the action but also sat him amid what the source described as the "bevy of IBOA beauties", representing roughly half the women in the room.

All's fair in love and threatened industrial action, it seems.