Not surprisingly for the second week in succession the terrible events in the US dominated all else. At one level there was the impressive display of unity and solidarity shown in both Houses, at another the hard realisation that for all of us there are very real consequences, economic and political.
First the solidarity. There were few great speeches in either House but a common determination none the less. By all accounts, Michael Noonan made the best speech of the day and his best speech since becoming party leader. The Taoiseach needs a new speech-writer and once again Mary Harney was best of the Government speakers.
It was good to see proper credit given to the people in Foreign Affairs, both here and in the US who rose to the occasion, showing both humanity and organisational skills in dealing with the thousands of anguished phone calls and inquiries.
But the sheer enormity of the American horror was too much for most of us to comprehend and inevitably it was the impact of the crisis on our own politics which absorbed much attention.
It was another uncomfortable week for Sinn Fein. The Colombian affair has raised fundamental questions for the IRA which have not been answered. The early smokescreen erected by Sinn Fein and some of its media supporters has now been blown away and even with Thursday's blanket denial there is still a major credibility issue.
To be suspected of involvement in international terrorism in normal times is bad enough, but at a time like this is little short of catastrophic. The mood is such in the US that patience is fast running out among many hitherto supportive of Sinn Fein, and unless there are clear and convincing answers Sinn Fein could find real hostility where hitherto it had its greatest support.
Certainly they will get little succour from President Bush's new envoy, Richard Haass. He made it very clear that as far as decommissioning is concerned it's time to put up or shut up, and in the context of his country's other problems there is no time left for people - on both sides - for whom the grievance, or short-term political gain is more important than a resolution.
Politics is a strange business. Three months ago Sinn Fein was riding high, not least in its own estimation. There was an air of cockiness, a sense of the inevitability of tomorrow belonging to them and a belief that at last the momentum was going their way.
The Greeks had a word for it. Hubris - that pride which comes before a fall. Sinn Fein is now learning all about it. It's not just Colombia: it's the petulant, arrogant way Sinn Fein refused to answer fair questions, its demonising of those who asked those questions. Politics means never losing the run of yourself.
There has been, too, a fighting back by the other parties and a series of party polls which suggest the Sinn Fein vote in the Republic may have peaked.
But the other parties too are looking at the fallout from the attack in America. Charlie McCreevy's Budget calculations are in disarray. Already, things were going wrong and the prospect of a bonanza Budget was looking less and less likely.
Now, no sane person would make any prediction. We don't know if there will be further attacks; we don't know the extent, or fallout, of the US response but we do know that the airline industry is in chaos and that tourism is already taking a heavy knock. What the effect will be in other areas of finance, industry and services, we can only guess. But they will not be good.
Few people would bet on a much longer life for the Celtic Tiger. Those economists who never actually predicted the boom in the first place are rushing in to predict various shades of gloom. And this time an apprehensive public will believe them. Once people start thinking negatively, then the inevitable happens.
So those who say Bertie Ahern waited too long may ultimately be proved right. The Celtic Tiger, or rather the rhetoric, the self-congratulation and the conspicuous consumption which accompanied it raised enormous expectations all round. Very many of these expectations have not been realised and there is very little likelihood now that they will be. It will take more than the Government's self-praising list of achievements to persuade people that the best use has been made of our new-found and unexpected wealth.
By many objective standards the Government does have a case. The investment in infrastructure is there, though for the moment there is little to show for it but disruption and inconvenience. Charlie McCreevy has given NTMA large chunks of capital to invest in future pensions. Education has never been better funded. Nor has health.
And yet the mood is sour. Small things assume irritating proportion. The Bertie Bowl is a symbol of ego and extravagance to all those who want extra funds for their particular projects. Likewise the spending on Farmleigh. And if the Government goes ahead with the £25 million project to build an underground car-park at Leinster Lawn - a carpark which as far as Drapier can see no TD or senator wants - it will be seen as another example of Government insensitivity in face of very changed economic circumstances.
What Drapier is saying is that the public has taken the gains of the Celtic Tiger in its stride, seeing it as no more than its due, and given little credit to the politicians. But now that things are going wrong, the same public will be quick to blame the Government and seize mercilessly on what it sees as any vanity project which raises its head from now on.
It may not be fair, but it is precisely the context in which the impending election will be held. Speaking of which, Drapier still believes we are looking at an April/May election. But he agrees with Michael Noonan that in the present jittery climate accidents can very easily happen, people can talk themselves into trouble and from this point on, anything is possible.
Drapier makes just one prediction. The politics of the next few months are going to be more serious and stark than any we have seen for years. The smoochy consensus and shadow-boxing of the Celtic Tiger years will be no more. On a range of issues, from security to Europe, on the economy and on services real choices will have to be made, and buying your way out of trouble will no longer be the easy option. In other words leadership is once again going to be a key issue and the party leader who shows up best on this front is the one most likely to be next Taoiseach.
Finally this week let Drapier salute John Hume. Normally the whole column would have dwelt on John Hume and his achievements, but times are not normal. Drapier will return to the greatness of John Hume. Meanwhile he has earned all the accolades bestowed on him and he and Pat have earned the right to a bit of privacy and relaxation. We all wish them well.