Saturday/Sunday
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, addressing the Fianna Fail Ardfheis, told delegates that a peaceful Ireland would be a prosperous Ireland, and the spirit of friendship would finally prevail throughout the entire island. Criticism and controversy were muted throughout the two-day ardfheis. The agricultural workshop was the most popular, and delegates crowded the conference room.
Delegates at a special conference of the Civil and Public Service Union ignored the advice of their general secretary and instructed their executive committee to hold a ballot within the month on pulling out of Partnership 2000.
Monday
Behind-the-scenes moves continued to try to avert the 24-hour stoppage by 300 train-drivers on mainline and DART services throughout the State. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, announced Operation Freeflow for the Christmas period. Plans include increased bus and DART frequencies, better enforcement of driving and parking regulations and new park-and-ride facilities.
A childhood home of James Joyce was demolished, causing conflict between the developer and Dublin Corporation. The house in Milbourne Avenue, Drumcondra, was regarded by Joyceans as particularly important.
Tuesday
The rail workers' unofficial strike went ahead. Commuters faced disruption as the stoppage brought thousands of extra cars on to the roads. Mainline services throughout the State were affected, and long tailbacks occurred on major roads in city areas. Bus services were quieter than usual, possibly due to people staying at home.
A report by the all-party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution recommended that the President should be given the power to draw up an honours list recognising the exceptional contribution of citizens.
A Christian Brother, Patrick John (Jack) Kelly (50), York Road, Dun Laoghaire, who admitted 53 charges of sexual assault and gross indecency on boys over many years, was remanded in custody for sentence. The offences involved 11 victims and occurred between 1977 and 1988.
Wednesday
The body of Mr Paddy Doherty was retrieved from the sea, while the search for another man wound down in north Mayo. Mr Declan Sweeney (35) was missing after a car accident also involving Mr Doherty and a third man. They had been chasing a fox.
Despite the ceasefires, there were more than 400 incidents, linked to paramilitary groups, in Northern Ireland so far this year, with 55 killings and 61 "punishment" killings, according to a report by Families Against Intimidation and Terror. A £3 million stainless-steel spike, twice the height of Liberty Hall, is to be erected on the site of Nelson Pillar in O'Connell Street, Dublin, it was announced at the unveiling of a model of the structure designed by a London architect, Mr Ian Ritchie.
Thursday
The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, addressed a joint session of the houses of the Oireachtas. On the historic occasion, Mr Blair said that Ireland and Britain had both grown up and had come too far to go back now. A new generation was in power in each country.
Mr Blair later had talks with the Taoiseach and went to Mr Ahern's old school, St Aidan's CBS, in Whitehall, Dublin. The Moriarty tribunal is investigating accounts held by the late Mr P.V. Doyle of the Doyle hotel group in Guinness and Mahon Bank, which may have been used for the benefit of the former Taoiseach, Mr Charles Haughey, The Irish Times disclosed.
It was also revealed that full disclosure of the accounts of the National Gallery's private fundraising committee, chaired by Mr Haughey until June this year, was being sought by at least two members of the gallery's board of governors.
Threats of another rail stoppage receded after the unions agreed to re-enter talks with Iarnrod Eireann under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.