Kenny and Cowen’s uncivil partnership destined for the rocks

THE two circled each other warily, it was their first time in the same room together since the threats and f-words of the big row and neither was in the mood to give ground; their uncivil partnership was on the rocks again.

Tensions rose to another flash-point — Enda was “disappointed” with Brian’s attitude; Brian was trying hard to keep hold of his temper this time and just shrugged his shoulders as if to say “here we go again”.

Enda wanted an apology, they had both agreed to say yes to a bi-partisan European civil union over the treaty, followed by a political honeymoon in Lisbon, but Brian had been caught out bad mouthing his “light- weight” partner already.