The Spanish Tourist Office in Dublin chose the day of the San Fermin Fiesta to brief the media and the trade on the famous running of the bulls in Pamplona. Gonzalo Ceballos was, as ever, the most gracious host of an event that was both informative and enjoyable.
The running of the bulls dates back to 1385 and came about from the need to transport the bulls from outside the walls to the the bullring.
An estimated 3,500 people run with the bulls at weekends during the Fiesta.
American author and journalist Earnest Hemingway first came to Pamplona to run with the bulls in 1924 and did not return until 1953. His last visit was in 1959 and he said that it was the most wonderful San Fermin Festival that he could remember since 1924.