Enda’s odyssey to meet media mogul

WAITING for Silvio. Fortunately the weather on St Stephen’s Green was more Mediterranean than Irish as Enda Kenny patiently awaited the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi.

The Italian Prime Minister was fashionably late for a working lunch for leaders of the European People's Party at the Shelbourne Hotel, hosted by the Fine Gael leader.

Effectively, this was the B-list event, or UEFA Cup in footballing parlance, compared to the Champions League game in Áras an Uachtaráin, but it still had a big league name present in the form of the AC Milan owner.

Unbeknown to the protestors gathering just down the street in the park, Signor Berlusconi, a high-ranking béte noire of the anti-globalisation and anti-war lobby, was just 100 yards away.

Fine Gael made no secret of the event featuring nine European PMs, yet it obviously didn't figure on the protestors' radar.

The event was protected by over 100 gardaí, a number of whom passed time chatting about when they had come up to Dublin and where they were staying for the weekend.

Adopting his now trademark pose with his arms thrust out in front him, interpreted by the advertising industry as him explaining the size of a fish, Statesman Enda praised the sunshine.

"The first day of summer," he proclaimed as his guests arrived.

Apparently Enda Kenny is big in Greece. Judging by the ecstatic reaction of a few tourists from the Hellenic country waving from across the street when their Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis arrived, the FG leader could try his luck in the ancient land if the forthcoming elections don't go too well.

But Enda The Greek was left standing a tad longer waiting for the star guest stylishly the last to arrive.

In the intervening period European leaders wandered out to smoke a fag.

Strictly obeying the smoking ban, Belgian PM Jean-Claude Juncker and Estonian PM Juhan Parts chatted away while having a smoke and waxed lyrical about the historic day.

"We have been in Europe all the time but now we are back in the family," Mr Parts said.

The Italian media was frenetic when its master finally arrived, in a classically -cut double-breasted suit, but he was saying nothing and merely threw his hands up in the air in celebration at the fine day, prompting Enda The Greek to repeatedly comment: "It's Italian weather in Dublin."

The main course on the lunch menu was Baked Lemon Sole with New Potato, Spinach, Confied Lemon, Dill Beurre Blanc" washed down by a few bottles of Pouilly Fuisee and Chianti Classico Reserva.

Sitting beside Signor Berlusconi for the hearty meal, Enda The Greek didn't raise the war in Iraq, but did discuss EU affairs, including references to religion in the EU constitution, which doubtless did Silvio's God complex no harm at all.

Fed and watered, the diminutive Italian with the enormous ego made a dash for the armour-plated bus taking the leaders to the Phoenix Park. Enda The Greek was dreaming about what the future might hold.