Adams sees future without IRA
Finishing up short of the allotted hour allowed his fellow party figurehead Martin McGuinness to get in on the act for a few minutes before the rolling cameras, reminding the audience that Mr Adams was now 20 years in the top job.
Strangely for such a consistently polished performer, Mr Adams appeared slightly nervous as he prepared to go before the cameras.
Earlier in the afternoon, the entire hall in the RDS was cleared to allow him to complete a dress rehearsal of his speech.
Referring to the historic nature of the broadcast, just 10 years after the party's views were censored,
Mr Adams briefly veered off script to mark the occasion: "I want to welcome the RTE Authority to the democratic process."
Along with the Ard Fheis in general, Mr Adams speech was relatively low key affair, yet it was used to good effect to signal that the party still has a firm plan for the way ahead, even in these troubled times.
Reflecting the present tentative nature of the peace process, Mr Adams sensitively said he could foresee a future without the IRA, and that the party could join the North's Policing Board but not yet.
He also warned that the IRA would not respond positively to ultimatums from either the British government or Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble.
The party leadership also promised to hold a special delegate conference to make the crucial decision on joining the policing board when that time arrives. Delegates' refusal to tie the hands of the party leadership, by rejecting a motion completely ruling out membership of the policing board, allows the flexibility to sell the merits of the move once that time is right.
Posing a series of hypothetical questions to himself, Mr Adams outlined his vision: "If I am asked can I see a time when it would be appropriate for Sinn Féin to join the policing board and participate fully in the policing arrangements on a democratic basis, the answer is: Yes."
"Are we at that point now? The answer is: No, not yet."
The Good Friday Agreement was a big personal and political compromise for him and other Republicans, Mr Adams said, as he criticised some unionists for opposing its full implementation.
Availing of the high profile of the event, Mr Adams also reached out to the unionists and loyalists: "Let the message go out from us here today into loyalist and unionist working class areas: 'we understand what is happening to you and we know such problems must be addressed'.
"We do not want anyone to go into the space that nationalists and republicans in the North are vacating. We want to close that space down.
"We do not want anyone to be treated the way that we were treated," he said.
The party also reminded the Irish Government of its perceived responsibilities to the nationalist community in objecting to the proposal to introduce sanctions.
The live coverage was brought about by the party's breakthrough in last summer's general election.
Unlike their political counterparts down south, next summer's local elections are a long way off for Sinn Féin as they are concentrating on this summer's Northern Ireland Assembly elections. Obviously boosted by increasing their Dáil representation from one to five, the party leadership also emphasised the importance of continuing with their electoral gains.
In a rallying call to members, Martin McGuinness said increased political strength will allow Sinn Féin to deliver further change in the interests of all of the people of this island.
"In the Assembly elections, as in previous elections across this island, we collectively as a party have the opportunity to increase our political and negotiating strength," said Mr McGuinness. "That is the challenge we must address.
"Every Sinn Féin voter has a role to play. The political landscape of the North has changed forever. The degree of change that we can achieve is linked directly to our political strength."
