The omens were not looking good for Beverley Cooper-Flynn last night when a brown paper bag was passed around among Mayo county councillors, each of whom chipped in £1 to the collection as it made its way around the council chamber.
On reaching the Mayo TD, who surprised many of those present by turning up at the monthly meeting of the council last night, she too reached into her purse and dedicated £1 to the collection - which was on behalf of the charity organisation Rehab.
Contributing in her usual confident manner to council proceedings, Ms Cooper-Flynn showed no signs of having undergone any major trauma in recent times.
Far from looking shaken and in need of support, she displayed an iron will and resolute determination, fighting on behalf of constituents.
She supported motions for the dedication of council money to roadworks schemes and directly addressed the county engineer, asking what was the position of the council in relation to complaints levied at contractors carrying out works on behalf of the council.
Numerous one-to-one consultations between Ms Cooper-Flynn and her party colleagues on the council punctuated much of the meeting. While an attempt was made to put forward the image of a local authority body at work as usual, there was definitely a frisson of something different in the air.
The fact that Mayo County Council chairperson, Fianna Fail Cllr Annie May-Reape, had earlier in the day launched an unexpected attack on the Mayo TD, calling on her to resign from Fianna Fail "before she was expelled", contributed to an interesting atmosphere.
Sources within the party said the outburst by Ms May-Reape had caused consternation within the ranks, particularly as all other colleagues were vouching their support to Ms Cooper-Flynn.
After spending approximately 1-1/2 hours at the council meeting, Ms Cooper-Flynn, whose mobile phone was busy alerting her to incoming messages, left with a party colleague.
Usually one to talk to the press, Ms Cooper-Flynn politely declined all interviews last night, except to say she was not prepared to say anything at the moment.