Micheál leads the party but celebrations put on hold

THERE was no early-hour singsong or revelling with the troops as Micheál Martin showed a stark contrast to his predecessor by having an early night after becoming leader of Fianna Fáil.

The second Cork man to hold the job is said to be saving the celebrations until he heads home over the weekend after what has been a frantic first 24 hours in the job.

After claiming victory in the leadership vote on Wednesday, Mr Martin appeared on RTÉ’s Prime Time. Afterwards there was “no partying” for the clean-living politician dubbed the head of the “prim and proper alliance” of Leinster House.

Instead, he convened a meeting with officials after 10pm. He was only a few hours in the job but the election planning had started straight away.

He was up shortly after 6am yesterday morning and had reviewed coverage of his victory in the morning newspapers before a meeting with advisers at 7.30am.

At 8am, Mr Martin was interviewed by Ivan Yeates on Newstalk radio and proceeded to do four more interviews with local radio stations around the country.

Between a series of Dáil votes on the Finance Bill, he posed for a “family photo” with all Fianna Fáil TDs and senators in front of the Dáil at around 11.30am

He even managed to share a few friendly words with the man he had deposed as leader, Brian Cowen.

The former foreign affairs minister spent the remainder of the afternoon holding back-to-back meetings on election planning and the state of the organisation with party officials.

Ahead of the announcement of his front bench and deputy leader over the weekend, Mr Martin also held a number of one-to-one meetings with Fianna Fáil TDs.

They discussed strategies for the forthcoming general election campaign and ideas for the future direction of the party.

Mr Martin found time throughout the afternoon to pen a letter to Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, after the two became involved in a spat over the formation of a televised leaders debate.

Last night he travelled to the north-east for the party selection convention in the Sligo North-Leitrim constituency.

He delivered his first speech as leader to the party faithful at around 10pm and had returned to Dublin by 2am this morning after a long first day.

The Cork South Central TD is expected to travel back home tonight or tomorrow morning where he will be welcomed as the first Fianna Fáil leader from the county since Jack Lynch.

A party spokesperson said his hectic schedule in the four-week campaign would leave Mr Martin with no time for celebrating.

But supporters won’t allow him escape at least some revelry when he arrives back in Ballinlough.