In a departure from tradition, Donie Cassidy and the Taoiseach appeared in separate photographs last night, their poster images beaming down from the stage at a dinner to celebrate the former's 21 years in the Oireachtas.
The Westmeath TD has become legendary for his ability to get into any picture involving his party leader, frequently beating off fierce competition in the post-ardfheis huddle to appear as an extension of Mr Ahern's shoulder. This time, he didn't even have to try. The Taoiseach happily returned the compliment, one of 450 guests who turned up to mark Mr Cassidy's coming of age as a member of Leinster House.
By coincidence that could inspire a political thesis, his arrival in the Seanad in the early 1980s was followed closely by his establishment of the National Wax Museum at Dublin's Parnell Square. The coincidence extended to the fact that he later sold the museum just as his 20-year career as a senator was coming to a close. In the intervening period, he had established himself as one of the most popular and lifelike figures in the Seanad, and he was rewarded first with the leadership of the house and, in 2002, with a Dáil seat.
He was the beneficiary then of a Fianna Fáil vote-splitting strategy that backfired. But the woman who was inadvertently sacrificed, current Seanad leader Mary O'Rourke, was also among those attending last night, as were Cabinet ministers Brian Cowen, Noel Dempsey and Dermot Ahern. Entertainers at the event included Foster and Allen and TR Dallas.
It was, as the guest of honour proudly declared, "the biggest dinner in the history of the Greville Arms Hotel". In a culture clash that made the place even more crowded, the venue was also playing host to 100 Welsh rugby supporters, using this as a base for tomorrow's international. The visitors were clearly impressed to be sharing the hotel for the evening with "Bertie O'Hern", as they invariably called him. And the atmosphere of pan-Celtic bonhomie survived even the choice of music - Flower of Scotland - to which arriving guests were piped in.
In a tribute speech, the Taoiseach described Mr Cassidy as a "stalwart for the Fianna Fáil party" and "a patriot of the old school". Illustrating the latter point, the Castlepollard man described attending the Kevin Barry funeral as "the most moving and emotional event" of his political career. Ever the political animal, he explained that the late 21st celebration (he was elected senator in 1982) was doubling as the launch of the local election campaign in Westmeath.