Power-sharing permutations are endless as Sinn Féin lies in waiting

In my days as a young political reporter if you’d asked me the difference between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil one of my first thoughts would have been: Fianna Fáil are far more craic.

If I had the choice of which árd fheis or party gathering I’d like to be sent to cover well, there was little contest in terms of where the party (in the drinking and singing sense) would be at.

The FF’ers always had an air of divilment and once they’d dispensed with formalities you knew, that it you wanted to, and had the stamina, there would be partying going on until the following morning.