He's gone native - the attire is Nepalese, including a little embroidered cap straight from the Himalayas. The smile of this "gur u na gcnoc" is wide and welcoming. Irish poet Cathal O Searcaigh, from Gort A Choirce in Co Donegal, is returning to Kathmandu - "to spend Christmas with a yeti". But, first, he has come to Dublin to take part in a celebration of Irish poetry.
We are here in the National Library to witness the birth of watchingtheriverflow, a new book featuring the favourite 100 poems of 10 top Irish poets. Poet Michael Longley has come down "all the way from Belfast", as he says, to be present.
Has the journey exhausted him? "I'm with my wife who carries my bags for me," he says with a mischievous glint in the eyes. Just out of ear-shot is his unsuspecting wife, Edna Longley, Professor of English at Queen's - she is chatting to Cursai Ealaine presenter Sarah Ryder.
John Montague, one of the contributors, listens to the speeches by Sile de Valera, Minister for the Arts, and editors Theo Dorgan and Noel Duffy. Gerald Dawe, whose book, The Morning Train (taking its title from Dolly Parton's song), was launched last week, is only sorry the singer herself wasn't around to host that particular book event - but, as to this evening's book, "there are lots of musical notes in it."
Teacher Niall MacMonagle, of Wesley College, asks Dorothea Melvin, director of Cultures of Ireland, if she is named after the Middlemarch character who, he quotes, "had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into life by poor dress". Dorothea's dress features gold buttons and trimming, so it's hard to tell.
Outside a fan shouts "jab deas a dheanamh agat i gconai," to broadcaster Ciaran Mac Mathuna on his way out. It's dark. The Limerick man salutes and carries on his way home.