Big Phil Hogan was just one of those full of enthusiasm at an event radiating feelgood factors, writes KATHY SHERIDAN
PROTESTERS BARRING entry to your party’s think-in can’t be good. Then again, their presence does confirm that you are indeed the people with the power. So there must have been a smidgeon of dismay among Labour folk that no one showed up to protest about anything in Carlow, while their partners, Enda and co, were confronted with dozens in Galway.
People driving into the Galway Radisson’s car park were being asked for ID by a friendly garda – “just to make sure that people are who they say they are”.
Big Phil Hogan was bursting with joie de vivrein the lobby. He's certainly on track for this year's most sought-after interviewee award. Or maybe he's just impossible to pin down.
“I’m being bounced around like an effin’ ping-pong ball”, said the Kilkenny man gleefully, as he finished up with RTÉ, then found himself caught up in a swarm of incoming Spaniards, before proceeding to TV3. “Sure after beating Tipperary over the weekend, you’d have to be in demand. They want winners. They want to interview the director of elections after he masterminded the 76 seats in February. Yeah – Big Phil is in big demand.” Like the Cat who got the cream, as he’d say himself. A very tall Cat. With claws.
You want to talk septic tanks? Big Phil’s your man. Well, it’s not so much that he wants to talk septic tanks as that he wants to have a laugh at poor Éamon Ó Cuív, who has threatened to go to jail if Big Phil proceeds with his EU directive. A highly amused sidekick conjures up imaginary tabloid headlines: “Ó Cuív in the sh*t”. Big Phil prefers to take his headlines from history. “Our man – OUR man, that’s Michael Collins – had to rescue Ó Cuív’s grandfather out through the back door when he was in jail in England. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Big Phil had to get his grandson out – for a septic tank?”. He cracks up laughing.
So it’s a feelgood think-in?
“Fantastic. I think it’s only beginning to dawn on a lot of them the transformation that’s come over the party – that’s when you see 99 parliamentarians in one room. Especially after so many commentators writing us off over the years and trying to pick the carcass – is that expression a bit rural? – of the party,” he whooped.
Richard Bruton assessed the mood as “workmanlike”. Looking around at all the new faces – “not like the professional, hardened, cynical ones”, he laughed wryly, “there’s a lot of enthusiasm and brightness”.
That brightness was radiating from some of the lads and lassies taking refreshments in the bar after the first day back at school. But how long will that last? Did they enjoy being part of such a big number? No point in asking that of a first-timer. “This improves on nothing for us – we’re coming off a high base,” grinned young Noel Harrington from Cork South West. “No memories of 2002,” said Anthony Lalor from Kildare, nodding ruefully. But they were indeed looking a tad inspired and enthusiastic. Lalor was mightily impressed with Patrick Kennedy, the chief executive of Paddy Power plc, who shared the bill with Richard Bruton. “You think about a bookmaker’s firm – it’s the sort of thing that no one likes to be associated with – but Paddy Kennedy fascinated me. They employ 3,000 around the world. Did you know that?”
Harrington was taken with Prof John FitzGerald’s optimism. But they both demurred when asked if the mood was upbeat. It was about “what proposals are going to be put to the Dáil and how they’ll be put to the Dáil”, said Harrington. “We’d be very anxious about that. We got the assurance that they’d be put out there first and that everyone will have their say . . .”
Senator Imelda Henry from Sligo thought FitzGerald was “just great” but her pick of the day was Michael Noonan. “People want to hear the truth, not to be kept in the dark. That’s what he is saying . . .” Then The Irish Times became distracted by the two “feature” nails on Mary Mitchell O’Connor’s perfectly manicured hands, each with a black/silver/white flash, “kinda like a thistle”, mused Senator Henry. “Like herself.”
At which point, we made our excuses and made for the door, where we encountered Olivia Mitchell in a dress adorned with dogs. Turns out Mary Mitchell O’Connor has the same dress so if they’re going to the same venue, they text to check it’s okay to wear it. The last text went like this. Olivia: “Can I wear the dogs to Galway?” MMO’C: “Bow Wow.”
Upbeat? Between the Cats and the dogs, this is one gang whose tails are up.
