About 400 copies of the "sexy Celtic beauties" current issue of Playboy were sold yesterday, as five of the models featured in the magazine signed copies in Easons, O'Connell Street, Dublin.
The models received a "warm reception" at the store, its general manager, Mr Martin Black, said. Between 12.45 p.m. and 2.00 p.m., there was "steady queuing" for signed copies of the magazine.
The queue consisted of "a cross-section of women and gentlemen of all ages".
The O'Connell Street branch of Easons received a stock of 500 copies of the current issue, Play]boy's Book of Lingerie: from Belfast to Dublin, Sexy Celtic Beauties.
Mr Black said he expected the remaining 100, which were not sold yesterday afternoon, to be sold by the weekend.
Appearing at Easons yesterday afternoon were: Ms Orla Mullally, a sports injury specialist from Ballinasloe, Co Galway; Ms Tammy Murtagh, originally from Dublin; Ms Aoife Rogers; Ms Gwendolyn Wilson, from the Coombe, Dublin; and Ms Alice Regan, a nightclub manager from Dublin.
The women were selected after staff from the magazine's headquarters in Chicago spent two days in Ireland last July, interviewing more than 150 women.
This edition of the magazine was launched this week at a reception in the St Stephen's Green Hotel, Dublin.