Faithful stand and cheer for the Boss

THEY stood and applauded and cheered appreciatively for the Boss. As standing ovations go, it was quite impressive.

But this was not for Bertie. It was for Charlie.

Fianna Fáil had done its best to ensure the former Taoiseach’s name had not been mentioned at árd fheiseanna for several years; it was a shadow they didn’t want hanging over them.

But times change. Even Bertie, once so eager to put clear water between himself and Charlie, has mellowed.

Mr Haughey is an ill man. And the Taoiseach is preparing his eulogy, saying of the former FF leader in recent times: “The policies that were pursued in that 1987/89 government are why we are where we are today, and the person who helped to turn that around was Charlie Haughey.”

So it was that a motion made it on to the programme that the ard fheis send “its best wishes to the former Taoiseach, Charles J Haughey”. And so delegates did, rising to their feet immediately. Other standing ovations throughout the weekend seemed forced. This was genuine.

But where one man was rehabilitated, the last person Fianna Fáil wanted to take centre stage was Liam Lawlor. The former TD’s death cast a pall over the weekend’s proceedings, and dominated news coverage. Nobody said it publicly, but after a couple of weeks of being hammered by the opposition, this was the last thing FF needed.

But the hierarchy did its best to circumvent the issue. The Taoiseach issued a carefully constructed statement, but made sure not to refer to Mr Lawlor in his televised address.

Cabinet ministers struck an upbeat tone. Arts Minister John O’Donoghue, on home soil, resorted to poetry. On Green leader Trevor Sargent he said: “Gridlock in cities, dole queues in towns, nut cutlets for dinner, and a cabinet of clowns.

“Those are the dreams of which Trevor sings, these are a few of his favourite things.”

He took a swipe at all three opposition leaders.

“When the blue shirt has been washed, and the Green agenda quashed, and the Rabbitte caught in one headlight too many,

“They’ll be too tired out by far, to meet again in Mullingar, the three stooges, Messrs Sargent, Rabbitte, Kenny.”

The hall loved it. A video followed, and more comedy - this time unintentional. In it, Bertie Ahern, in doom-and-gloom tones, outlined how bad things had been before he came to power. The script then turned to pantomime, his voice came over all innocent and sweet, and it seemed like we were being treated to a voice-over from Widow Twankey, as he said: “Then, in June 1997, the people of Ireland made a choice. This is the story of a nation transformed.”

The message was clear: For fairytales, vote Fianna Fáil every time.