The Taoiseach rallied Fianna Fáil candidates and activists to begin canvassing now, telling them at a closed session that the unofficial election slogan was "knocking on doors", writes Marie O'Halloran
In a witty speech during the packed special session on the organisation of the local and European election campaigns, Mr Ahern quipped that he didn't care if canvassers went through the front door or the back. But he added: "don't get arrested". He said they should go to every house, office, shop, apartment block and, "don't let any security stop you".
Reminding delegates that the "only place success comes before work is the dictionary", he quoted John F. Kennedy: "Let us begin."
In a speech peppered with one-liners that provoked much laughter and a sustained standing ovation, Mr Ahern made digs at the Opposition parties and told delegates to be proud of Fianna Fáil's achievements in government and to remind their local electorate of them.
These were achieved "by your lobbying, your work, your cumainn, your people - not because the Greens asked or the Shinners".
Praising the huge turnout for the ardfheis, he referred to Sinn Féin's the previous weekend. "They brought about 600 people from the North and they still could only get 950 people," he said to cheers. He had been in west Belfast and got such a big crowd that when he got down off the stage "they nearly threw me out - they're not big into democracy".
Telling his audience to canvass everyone and recruit more members, Mr Ahern said there were no rules restricting membership. The cumann in the local area linked into the community.
"We're not a secret society," he said, and advised members that cumainn should be advertising their meetings, even if only five people attended.
He regaled delegates with a story about canvassing in Munster. He was told, "Don't go to that house, they're Blueshirts." But he replied, "I'm wearing a blue shirt," and when they knocked they found that "the Blueshirts were gone and a new couple were living there, and they were lovely".
From Saturday there were 97 days to go before elections. He told the forum: "Don't think there is time to sit back and relax for a few weeks more."