FF faithful all agog for the drama of Dev Óg

FIANNA FÁIL returned last night to the RDS after their boom-time years in the flock-walled confines of the Citywest Hotel on the outskirts of Dublin.

The official programme may have listed a smorgasbord of earnest delights for the delegates to sample, but really, everyone wanted to see the Drama Queen of Leenane, a west of Ireland production that hit the political boards on Wednesday.

Following his resignation from the deputy leadership of the party and his strained relationship with official policy, would Éamon Ó Cuív’s presence at the ardfheis be a help or a hindrance to Micheál Martin as he tries to rebuild Fianna Fáil? The party pulled out all the stops to ensure a big attendance, including a 15 per cent discount on rail tickets for delegates travelling to Dublin by train.

Dev Óg had been due to chair a panel discussion yesterday evening on the scintillating topic of “Fianna Fáil and Republicanism in Irish Society” but his place was taken by barrister and columnist Noel Whelan. That’s not to say that Ó Cuív has been keeping a low profile since his pre-ardfheis parting of the ways with the leadership: he’s been popping up in radio interviews ever since.

Yesterday morning, he spoke at length with Jerry O’Sullivan on Radio Kerry’s flagship morning current affairs show. The presenter had asked local FG Senator, Tom Sheahan, to join the discussion following his ball-hopping comment in the Seanad about “Micheál Martin not being the first Corkman to be shot in the back by a de Valera”. Tom declined the offer, explaining he had said all he had to say on the subject.

Meanwhile, it hasn’t gone unnoticed among some Soldiers of Destiny that Sinn Féin launched a big drive for support among rural communities yesterday. Their Connemara-based Senator, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, is right in the middle of Dev Óg’s patch and he was one of the main speakers, along with leader Gerry Adams, at the launch in Enda Kenny’s Castlebar backyard.

The party has named its campaign: “Love Rural Ireland” raking up unpleasant memories of the “Love Ulster” movement a number of years back, which led to rioting in Dublin. We suspect a tug-of-love over rural Ireland is already under way between septic tank protester Ó Clochtartaigh and the recently liberated Ó Cuív.

Meanwhile, the return to the RDS in Dublin 4 seemed a universally popular move among the party faithful. But it’s a little unfortunate that Fianna Fáil is sharing the complex with the Jobs Abroad Expo, which is taking place in the larger Simmonscourt pavilion.

They can only hope that those people contemplating emigration chose the right entrance this weekend. Stumbling into a Fianna Fáil ardfheis might just be too much for some of them to bear.