A belated rendezvous with reality plays out like an opera with all the tragedy but no music

THE comic opera that is Irish politics continues without end.

Several people attempted to play the role of the fabled fat lady, but none was able to sing loud enough to bring the curtain down and declare the sorry performance over.

The Greens left Government as they had lived it — in confusion, messy compromise and utter chaos.

Indeed, the first thing they did after pulling out of Government was to cross the road and walk right back into Government Buildings again.

They will now sit on the opposition benches but vote through Government policy.

Say what you like about the Greens, but they were the joke that just kept giving right until the very finish.

But, alas, their imminent wipe-out at the election means political comedy’s loss will be a Fás restart training programme’s gain.

Brian Cowen’s belated rendezvous with reality when he finally realised resignation was the only option was no less bizarre.

By standing down as FF head, but not head of Government, Mr Cowen admits he is not up to the job of running a political party — but is just dandy to remain Taoiseach. No wonder 1,000 young people are fleeing the country each week because there is nothing here for them except slashed dole cheques.

Still delusional, Mr Cowen used his hastily arranged and rather ramshackle resignation announcement to effectively blame a media witch hunt for his untimely downfall. So, it wasn’t his manifest personal and political failings, or his appalling lack of judgement, then?

Obviously, we are using the word “Government” in the loosest possible way. This lot are far too busy waring among themselves and jostling for position to “govern” anything.

If the Taoiseach had a shred of respect for the Irish people he would have gone to the Áras last night and ended this farce once and for all.

But the in-out-shake-it- all-about Greens say they are clinging-on to get the Finance Bill through. Ah yes, the legendary Finance Bill which is spoken of in hushed tones by the Greens and Fianna Fáil as if it were the political equivalent of the Arc of the Covenant, rather than a series of dry, and occasionally outrageously unfair, Budget measures which can be pushed through anytime before April, and which was just being used as a rather unconvincing smoke screen to cover the Coalition’s desperate attempts to delay the election for as long as possible.

Oh, and how the FF-ers scrambled to be the new king, even though their first reward will be a vicious kick in the crown jewels from the electorate.

Redolent with irony, Mr Lenihan launched his leadership bid in the Westin Hotel’s Banking Hall — quite an own goal from a man who has so far given bankers a haul of €50 billion of taxpayers money and counting.

However, the room, like the role he sought, was far too big for Mr Lenihan.

The acoustics in the hall were terrible and it sounded like Mr Lenihan was speaking in a swimming pool — which, again, was just as well as the events of the last week have shown him to be out of his depth and gasping for breath under the surge tide carrying Michael Martin to the FF leadership.

As Mr Cowen left the Merrion Hotel room after announcing his resignation a couple of FF flunkies began to applaud — it was half hearted and fizzled away in seconds.

But the symbolism was deafening — this Government, this Taoiseach, was clapped-out.

A small crowd of onlookers had gathered across the road from the hotel, they did not seem like political agitators, but rather everyday people attracted to the spot by the spectacle of the satellite media trucks parked along the way.

As Mr Cowen slid into the back of his limousine a chorus of boos rang out and one woman shouted: “Shame on you”.