It was old-fashioned political campaigning which propelled Dana (Rosemary Scallon) into the presidential race yesterday. But the whole thing, we are told, was "initiated from above". Dana's campaign has its origins in a "forum" meeting on July 6th of the Dublin-based Christian Community Centre, at which it was decided to send a deputation to Alabama to ask the singer to stand in the presidential election.
The inspiration to seek out Dana was the result of prayer, according to the CCC's director, Mr T.C.G. O'Mahony, who believes further prayerful appeals can carry the former Eurovision winner all the way to the Aras.
Dana's reaction to Mr O'Mahony's approach was cool. "I basically didn't want to know these people," she said in an Irish Times interview last month. But after the response to the idea "grew more widespread" she allowed her name to go forward.
Dana acknowledges the role played by Mr O'Mahony and his organisation, whose stated objectives are the promotion of Christian values and prayer, in initiating the campaign.
But while Mr O'Mahony talked of further "consultations" with the candidate last night, a spokeswoman for Dana emphasised she had no ongoing links with any organisation.
When Dana - now using her married name, Scallon, rather than Brown - formally announced her candidacy in Dublin on August 13th, the media believed they were witnessing the ultimate "silly season" story. Even her mother, Mrs Sheila Brown, admitted then: "I don't blame people for thinking it's a joke. I thought it was a joke, too, at first."
Various anti-abortion and "Christian values" groups appeared unenthusiastic about having Dana in the Park. "To be realistic, that girl has no chance whatsoever of getting a nomination," said the chairman of the Pro-Life Campaign, Mr Des Hanafin.
After beginning her campaign with an intensive round of media interviews, Dana travelled to Paris for concerts being held in preparation for the Pope's visit there. She then returned to the US before coming back to Ireland a fortnight ago.
Dana and her team organised an intensive canvass of county councillors. According to a spokeswoman, every county councillor in Ireland has been written to in the past fortnight. One Donegal council member said last night he had not received a letter, but Dana phoned him on Sunday night before yesterday's historic council meeting.
Last Monday Dana and the team - which includes her husband Mr Damien Scallon; her sister Ms Susan Stein, a US-based television producer; her brother Mr John Brown who has returned from England for the campaign; and her brother-in-law Mr Colm Scallon - hit the road.
On that day she addressed two council meetings in Limerick and one in Clare. Since then they have canvassed councillors in Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Galway and Mayo. Further meetings are planned for today and tomorrow.
So far, the Scallons have funded their campaign themselves, a spokeswoman said yesterday. An announcement is to be made shortly on how Dana intends to fund her campaign proper.
Councillors who met her insist she is a moderate and not aligned to any extreme Christian groups. One said he specifically asked her about Mr O'Mahony's involvement and was told she didn't want to offend him publicly but he was "irrelevant".
Mr O'Mahony, however, sees himself as having a continuing central role. He said last night that the approach to county councils was a plan agreed between his group and Dana in the first place, and he too has been writing to county councils seeking support.
Asked what contacts he had had recently with Dana and her entourage, he said they had been "mostly out of commission for the past 10 days". "Now we'll have to sit down and see what the next step is," he told The Irish Times.
Mr O'Mahony repeatedly emphasised the importance of prayer rather than any further campaign tactics he might wish to work out with the candidate.
"For all people who believe in the power of prayer, now is the time for God and country to ensure a good, truly Christian candidate is made president. Dana will fit in to that."