DÁIL SKETCH:KATHLEEN LYNCH shot a thunderous look across the floor. "I note that the people who are laughing are not from Cork!" Like her fellow Corkonians on the Opposition benches, Labour's flame-haired firebrand was not amused, writes Miriam Lord.
Deputies from the Rebel County wanted to know what the authorities were doing about the toxic waste site uncovered in Cork harbour. Residents in Haulbowline/Ringaskiddy are understandably worried, and most of their TDs have been raising the roof in Leinster House.
You could see the Fianna Fáil wing of the Cork contingent longed to join in, but they couldn't. So the likes of Michael Ahern and Billy Kelleher sat and sulked as their rivals queued up to tear strips off the Minister for the Environment.
"This is extremely serious; why is it being covered up? Why is the Minister running and hiding?" shrieked Fine Gael's David Stanton in the course of an impassioned contribution which tried the Ceann Comhairle's patience, but not enough to get him thrown out of the chamber.
John Gormley took his battering well, unlike the envious Fianna Fáilers behind him, who could see the column inches building up in De Paper for their rivals.
Simon Coveney had a go first. Then Ciarán Lynch, Michael Creed and PJ Sheehan stoked up the fires of indignation, as Kathleen Lynch jumped up and down in an effort to get in next.
Fianna Fáil's Michael Ahern, coiled disconsolately in his chair like a piece of warm drisheen, could take no more. He started to heckle Deputy Creed.
"You're not behaving like a Cork man," taunted Fine Gael's Paul Kehoe (Wexford). "You should be supporting him, Michael. Another Cork man!"
This left Kathleen Lynch in a bit of a bind. On the one hand, she wanted to attack the Government. On the other, could she stand idly by when a runner-in from Wexford was insulting a brother from Cork?
"There are people in this House who think this is something you can laugh about. It's not. It's actually quite serious," sniffed Kathleen.
She pointed out that three reports have been prepared on the Haulbowline site since 2004, but none have been made public. While Mr Gormley "inherited this problem" he now has access to these reports.
John said quietly: "I inherited it from the Labour Party."
This was an insult too far for Labour's Willie Penrose (Westmeath), who erupted lavishly. "You're the ultimate buffoon! You're a buffoon!" he roared at the smiling Gormley. "Go back under a head of cabbage for jaysus sake, would ya!"
Then he muttered something about a dose of Slugtox.
You had to laugh.
"I note that the people who are laughing are not from Cork," said Kathleen darkly.
In an effort to mollify the seething Cork rump the Taoiseach said the Seanad was to debate the issue later in the evening.
The Seanad? Typical. Trying to fob Cork off with the Seanad. Opposition deputies sneered at the offer.
Green deputy Paul Gogarty bridled at this insult to the Upper House. "Don't youse be laughing at the Seanad."
Whereupon everyone burst out laughing.
"You should bring in the jugglers you had here last weekend for a bit of entertainment," whooped Fine Gael's Seán Barrett.
And some of those sausages they had during the open day would be nice too.
The weekend's event, a triumph for the Bull O'Donoghue, has left its mark. Enda Kenny was buzzing with ideas after it.
"The Ceann Comhairle should be in a position to operate a lottery during Question Time to allow deputies present in the House to be called to ask a question."
Move over Shirley Temple Bar.
Meet Shirley Temple Bull.
"Calls for Dáil reform are usually a code for how we can continue the tennis match that goes on here every day," said Cowen.
Tombolas and tennis? In its efforts to make the Dáil more relevant, last weekend's Leinster House open day is paying dividends already.
Biffo - release the balls!