When Maureen Matin asked me to accompany her to meet friends visiting from Ohio America, I was happy to accept but didn’t expect to meet two delightful men with extraordinary stories to tell over tea in a china cup in their beautiful little house in Co. Down.
James Dalton was brought up in Carrickfergus, went to Belfast High school and had two passions in life, fashion and dogs. For his 12th birthday he was given a smooth dachshund and he showed Rolf at local events, at 14 won his first Best in Show in Ireland and so a lifelong passion for breeding and exhibiting dogs grew and today James owns 15 French bulldogs and a 200 lb English mastiff named Georgina and enjoys an exceptional career in America.
He’s a world renowned breeder of French bulldogs having bred over 200 champions and winning many Best in Show awards including Best of Breed at Crufts in England and Westminster Kennel Club in New York City and he’s a much sought after American Kennel Club professional judge who has travelled the world. All this requires confidence and presentation and that’s not lacking in James, he has always been one for a statement proved when, as a teenager, he dyed his hair electric blue! When Princess Diana visited the Art College in Belfast no wonder she stopped and they talked for ages, ‘“beautiful woman with amazing sapphire blue eyes.’
Charm Offensive
After gaining a degree in fashion design at the University of Ulster it was on to the Royal College of Art in London where he studied under designer Betty Jackson and during this time designed a collection for Harrods. At his graduation service, the guest was the famous Russian artist and theatre designer Erte, revered for his art deco creations. Where others gazed at the great man, James Dalton, Master of Design, approached him to sign his diploma and ended up chatting about all things artistic. It was also at college that he worked on a team designing sportswear for Reebok UK; this led to a job offer from Chris Brasher and such were his skills the USA parent company wanted him. “Two weeks later I was on my hands and knees in Heathrow airport designing my first tennis collection as I waited to be called for the flight. I had to hit the ground running so with only £500, a suitcase and my diploma I got going. That meant travelling round the international tennis and golf circuits presenting new designs each distinguished with various fabrics and always having to be functional.” In 1991 he became Reebok designer of the year, he had arrived. He mentions working with Venus and Serena Williams, Greg Norman and John Daly, even Madonna for a celebrity endorsement.
All changed at a intimate dinner party in Boston 31 years ago when James met John Turjoman.
“I was told a ballet dancer was joining us.” At that time John had just begun studying in medical school. He laughs, “I didn’t know what to expect – a dancer pirouetting in with a stethoscope round his neck maybe!” However the two formed a friendship which developed into a partnership and eventually marriage.
Realising Limitations
John grew up in Saudi Arabia where his parents exposed him to the arts and when the family moved to Tucson Arizona he was just ten and a mix of music and ballet had become important to him; at 17 he moved to New York to study dance, he was a natural so much so that leading choreographer Sir Kenneth McMillan invited him to dance Romeo in the Romeo and Juliet ballet. “Music, dance and acting and I was delighted. One memorable night during the show the audience began laughing and we didn’t know why; I’d thrown my cloak behind me and apparently a cleaning lady with her mop and bucket walked across the stage, looked at the cloak lying there, obviously considered tidying it away but instead shrugged her shoulders and walked off!” His career with the American Ballet Theatre took him round the world and visitors to his dressing room were famous, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor amongst them. Although John danced in major capitals he began to wonder what the future held and eventually, aged 23, decided to pursue his second choice of career – medicine. Today he is a leading paediatric specialist in private practice whilst working in other areas of medicine as well.
Sitting with these two in their delightful Irish vacation home in Co. Down it was obvious they enjoy separate work lives and a very loving home life. What a fascinating morning, especially catching up with a man from Northern Ireland who has carved out an outstanding career in America but has never forgotten his home place.
I was having a cup of tea in St. Andrews Scotland last week. Lovely day, nice outdoor table one tea and one coffee. My daughter and I also wanted an ice cream but the owner type told us we should go to the famous ice cream parlour further up the road. He was very insistent. “I only have vanilla and strawberry, they have lots of different flavours. It’s just down the road.” Well how honest! We opted not to bother and finished our drinks and I went inside to pay. I offered a £20 note. “Sorry we don’t take cash.” “How am I going to pay then.” “With a card.” “Sorry can’t.” Stalemate. “You can pay with the £20 note but I can’t give you chance.” How bazaar. So I proceeded to empty my bag on the counter top. Methodically I checked every penny, after some time I gathered the exact amount £6.40. What a carry on and what happens to that cash? If it doesn’t go into a drawer to use for another customer who wants to pay with cash, where does it go? I should have asked! Anyway before I left I held out my hand and we shook on it – I reckoned I’d made my point without using a card. I should also have advised them to warn customers that they are cashless before they ordered.
OLYMPIC GLORY
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics was something of a curate’s egg – good in parts. But all was worth while for the last few minutes of the coverage – Celine Dion. Anyone who saw the story of her life ‘I Am Celine Dion’ on Prime Video will know just how ill this woman has been and still is and how brave she was to risk this high profile spot on a world wide programme. It reduced me to tears and the previous three hours or so were worth wading through for that final sequence.