Dáíl Sketch/Michael O'Regan: A handful of backbenchers filed into the Dáil chamber yesterday to sit behind Bertie Ahern.
For them and their colleagues it was, as Cathal MacCoille had said on RTÉ radio earlier, the "Morning After Optimism".
The most optimistic of them all, Seán Haughey, widely tipped to be given the junior ministry that went to Mary Wallace, was not to be seen.
He was in his office, preparing the statement in which he said he would have to reflect on his future in politics.
Pat Carey, one of the north Dublin TDs also thought to be in the frame at one time, was in the chamber, as was Seán Ardagh, considered a possibility if Bertie Ahern had sought a nominee south of the Liffey. They appeared to be philosophical.
But there was no doubt anywhere in Leinster House about Mr Haughey's bitter disappointment.
Throughout the day, deputies of varying colours sympathised with him whenever he emerged from his office.
In the chamber, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte suggested that any future Seanad vacancy should go to Fianna Fáil councillor Tom Stafford, who comes from Mr Ahern's northside heartland. He went on radio to criticise the Taoiseach's failure to give the job to Mr Haughey.
Mr Ahern smiled at Mr Rabbitte. "My loyal councillors," he remarked.
The political ghosts of the Haughey dynasty were not far from the minds of TDs.
When Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny tackled the Taoiseach on the chaos in the accident and emergency units of hospitals, he reminded Mr Ahern that a previous taoiseach had described him as the most cunning and devious of them all. The former taoiseach was Charles Haughey, father of Seán.
And, said Mr Kenny, it had been reported that a backbencher had said it was sometimes impossible to figure out what goes on in the Taoiseach's head.
That head remained firmly focused downwards on his brief as Mr Ahern was challenged on a variety of issues. The mute backbenchers looked on.
Away from the chamber, some of the long-serving Fianna Fáil deputies recalled the context in which Charles Haughey had made his oft-quoted assessment of Mr Ahern's political skills.
It was the early 1990s and Mr Ahern had successfully negotiated the second phase of the FF/PD programme for government.
Mr Ahern was briefing journalists in Government Buildings when Mr Haughey, then taoiseach, intervened to remark: "He's the man. He's the best, the most skilful, the most devious, and the most cunning."
As Mr Haughey departed, Mr Ahern remarked: "God, that's all I need."
Meanwhile, the backbenchers were wondering if their "Morning After Optimism" would give way to a springtime of disillusionment, following by a long hot summer, a troubled autumn and a winter of discontent.
They wondered, too, what Charles Haughey was thinking these days as he observed matters from his Kinsealy mansion.
That, perhaps, he did not know the half of it when he so publicly gave his assessment of Mr Ahern all those years ago?