Big Jim Larkin cast a long shadow across Dublin yesterday. It reached from the National Library in Kildare Street to the gates of Collins Barracks at Parkgate.
The burning question, at both locations, was whether the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, would pass the IMPACT picket to attend the opening of the new National Museum premises at Parkgate shortly before 4 p.m. and then slip back across the city to open the Jim Larkin exhibition in Kildare Street at 5 p.m.
Mr Ahern left many in the dark until the last moment - again. Some present thought he was trying to locate his colleague, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to sort out the yearlong staffing problem that had caused the IMPACT dispute. But Mr McCreevy was in Hong Kong, far removed from his leader's dilemma.
In the event, Mr Ahern did what any self-respecting former shop steward of the Workers' Union of Ireland would do. He did not pass the picket at Collins Barracks.
The Taoiseach made no direct reference to passing pickets in his address to fellow Larkinites at Kildare Street. But he did say: "I was honoured enough as a younger man to know many who knew Jim Larkin well . . . As long as I'm around I'll continue to honour that great tradition."
He said afterwards he regretted not being able to participate in the celebrations to mark the opening of the new museum and, with goodwill on both sides, the dispute could be resolved.
But he added: "I have a role in promoting good industrial relations in the context of social partnership" and he was not going to damage that by gratuitously passing pickets in a legitimate and serious dispute. IMPACT official Mr Matt Staunton welcomed the Taoiseach's decision on behalf of the picketers. He said the museum was the only section of the civil service where over half the staff were "acting up" to fill unfilled senior positions.
He could not understand Mr McCreevy's stance. The claim was legitimate and had no "knock-on" effects for the rest of the civil service.