All eyes were on the end of the corridor, waiting for that seismic shift from the double doors. They remained closed. Instead, Gerry Adams hurtled around the corner in a manner most historic, ushering in a new era and four of his general election candidates, writes Miriam Lord.
"I am totally wedded to this idea," he said after the six-hour meeting, simultaneously totally wedded to Mary Lou McDonald MEP, who will dwell at her leader's shoulder from now until polling day.
There is to be a New Dispensation. The tired looking, but upbeat Sinn Féin leader was happy to announce it. First off, he dispensed with all talk of watersheds and milestones, seismic shifts and hands of history. It seems the more flowery the language of peace process developments, the less likely it is that the initiative will flourish.
So Gerry described a truly significant move for the republican movement with an understated: "It's been a hefty day." We had to take his word for it, as the meeting of Sinn Féin's ardchomhairle in Dublin's Great Southern Airport Hotel was held behind closed doors and a protective wall of security men. It was a pretty informal affair, with Mr Adams padding out to the gents from time to time in his stocking feet.
The ardchomhairle members sat in circular arrangements of seats, with each of them entitled to speak. It was predicted that the meeting, which began at 1pm, would last about three hours. But by teatime, there was no end in sight. And when the six o'clock news deadline passed, a disgusted media corps began digging in for the night.
"They haven't even voted yet, and there's another eight or nine speakers to go," said somebody, who had had a word with somebody close to somebody minding the door. By 6.30pm, reporters were fearing the worst. Word went around that a tray "of dinner" had just gone in.
Happily, it transpired the dinner was for one of the security men. Fifteen minutes later, a troubling development: plates of sandwiches were delivered to the delegates. Alarming details emerged. "Finger food" also went in. A new twist on an old story came to mind and we began to curse "The Shinners who Stole Christmas."
Finally, the meeting was over. They had been talking for over six hours - a remarkable victory for brevity in the context of Northern politics.
Members wandered out, looking quietly happy but saying nothing. It was 7.10pm and it took another 20 minutes before Gerry Adams and colleagues made an appearance. Perhaps he had been searching for his shirt and shoes.
Mary Lou - and her soon to go head-to-head with Bertie in his constituency - was glued to her leader and smiling serenely, with Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly beside them. A trio of candidates gamely kept up with them.
"The debate was frank, comradely and robust, and a very united ardchomhairle faces into the challenges ahead," said the Sinn Féin leader, a gold cherub twisting on a string in the draught above his head and a brunette one at his side. And the sound of laughter wafted from the bar.