Fine Gael delegates to the party's 70th ardfheis gaze with growing anticipation towards a bright new political landscape. When they arrive there, sooner rather than later, they think, Fianna Fail will have been washed away on a wave of toxic evidence from the tribunals and Fine Gael will be left to govern a people crying out for an end to the defilement of public life.
A common theme running through the buoyant mood of delegates at the RDS was the sense that a general election is at hand. Not if, but when. And, to the last man and woman, they are ready, they say.
Many of the delegates were young, many were female, and almost all were in a hurry.
Brenda Lawlor (20), from Lixnaw, Co Kerry, an arts student in UCC, is seeking the presidency of the college's Students Union next month. She lives in a new world where companies come to her university offering bright futures to young people even before they sit their finals.
She was attending her first ardfheis. "Politics was not an issue at home, though we were always interested in current affairs. I wanted to join a political party and Fine Gael was the most vibrant so I joined UCC Young Fine Gael, the biggest branch in the country," she says.
Fine Gael "stands for integrity . . . where people are known more for their character than their political astuteness".
And, what of their leader, John Bruton? "He is very demotic. He does not carry on like other politicians. John may not have as much charm as Bertie but he does have appeal . . . Fine Gael will be in government next time round with him," Ms Lawlor said.
Hugh Courtney from Killarney who, at 22, became the youngest member of Fine Gael's national executive on Saturday afternoon, is, unusually, the son of an Independent councillor. But, in spite of his father's departure from the ranks of Fine Gael in Kerry South in 1985, his political DNA dictated that he join the party's youth wing four years ago.
A graduate of UCC and now a trainee accountant in Cork, Mr Courtney did not share the view of the majority of fellow-delegates on the issue of a snap election. Ultimately, however, the tribunals will undermine the Coalition but "they are coming a little early in the life of the Government".
The Belton name is synonymous with Fine Gael and one of the clan, June Belton, was among the audience at the health debate where passions were loosed and Brian Cowen's head demanded. Past secretary of the INO, Ms Belton is a nurse in St Joseph's geriatric hospital in Longford and is appalled at what is happening to the health services.
She said: "There are 52 geriatric patients in our hospital. At night, we have one nurse and two nurses' aides on duty. You could have two or three patients dying. A lot of others are very ill. The situation is the same everywhere. The Minister should resign. Patients don't seem to matter any more. Two things must be done - we need more funding and a restructuring of the health boards."
Her friend, Peggy Nolan, also a delegate, put it like this: "Money is being wasted on the bureaucrats and on bureaucracy." The State would be in safer hands with Fine Gael, she added.
Other voices of protest spoke of the housing crisis and, of course, farming.
Sean O'Grady from Ballingarry, west Limerick, has been in Fine Gael practically since he was a child. The other day he met two farmers, a father and son with separate properties, who had both sold off their respective herds. They had no fodder.
In his constituency, people are also "very angry" at the recent decision to accept a plea of manslaughter in the case of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
Like many others in the RDS at the weekend, Mr O'Grady thinks there will be a general election this year.
"The next coalition will be Fine Gael and Labour. Fianna Fail will probably lose half a dozen seats," he added.
And leading the new government will be John Bruton, hailed by his delegates as "a straight man".