Bertie Ahern's latest visit to Limerick was a mixture of beauty and the beast. He was in the city partly to open a new branch of Celia Larkin's business, Beauty at Blue Door, which offers a range of aesthetic enhancements for women and men.
But as if to emphasise the challenge his former partner faces in making Limerick beautiful, he dropped in to Thomond Park and met members of the Munster rugby team.
Officially opening the salon - part of a new leisure centre at Castletroy Park Hotel - the Taoiseach said he was regularly accused of being "parochial".
Nevertheless, he hoped people would excuse him wishing Celia well in the latest chapter of her life. Then he added, with feeling: "I can honestly say that when Celia puts her mind to something, she'll move heaven and earth to make it a success."
Addressing an audience that also included Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea, Ms Larkin promised her new branch would provide not just "pampering". It would also help reduce the stress of "today's hectic lifestyle".
Of the services offered, Bertie and Willie might be interested in the Power Regeneration Treatment ("Retinol-based exfoliation with penetrating vitamin therapies"), available for a mere €65. Products also include the basic Men's Skin-Care (from €55), the Universal Contour Body Wrap - "with unique double inch-loss guarantee" - (€165 for a course of three), and the good old-fashioned Enzymatic Mud Pack (€55). All designed to soothe, revitalise, and whatever you're having yourself.
At Thomond Park, Paul O'Connell presented Bertie with a number one jersey monogrammed "Ahern".
The new loose-head prop tried to put it on, but he would have needed a full course of the Universal Contour Body Wrap, with its unique double inch-loss guarantee, to make it fit over his suit. So he just held it instead as he helped launch a 10-year-ticket scheme to fund the regeneration of the rugby stadium.