THE daughter of the former Soviet president, Mr Mikhael Gorbachev, had her wallet stolen while on a visit to Dublin. Dr Irina Verganskaya, who was studying English at a city centre language school, was in a cafe on O'Connell Street when the wallet containing £60 and her driver's licence was taken out of her bag.
She had left the bag on the floor of the cafe where she had been with her two daughters, Ksenia (16) and Anastasia (11), who ware also studying English in Dublin. It was the second trip to Ireland for the family who previously visited in 1994 when they also studied English.
The incident happened a few days before she left last week after a 5 1/2 week visit. She had been studying at the Centre of English Studies, and last night the managing director of the school, Ms Rosemary Quinn, said that Dr Verganskaya was upset at the time because it is pretty difficult to get a licence reissued. She had intended hiring a car and they had planned to go and see the Cliffs of Moher". Ms Quinn added that "she knew herself she had been foolish but she had put it on the floor and forgot about it".
Despite the incident Dr Verganskaya plans to return next year, according to Ms Quinn who said the family had a "wonderful time". Two years ago Dr Vergansksaya met a number of prominent people including the former Taoiseach, Mr Charlie Haughey, but this time the visit was private. "They just wanted to be ordinary students," said Ms Quinn.
This year Dr Verganskaya brought four other families with her, the children of diplomats, and they stayed at guesthouses in Clontarf. Only the family with whom Dr Verganskaya stayed knew who they were. The two girls attended a Junior International Centre at Mount Temple. According to the school the family enjoyed the freedom of Dublin and the two girls were enthusiastic rollerbladers on the seafront at Clontarf most evenings.
The two girls were apparently anxious to visit Trim castle because they had seen the film Braveheart and knew it was filmed there. Ms Quinn said their initial interest in Ireland was sparked by the visit by Mr Gorbachev and Mrs Raisa Gorbachev.
