The German Finance Minister, Oskar Lafontaine, missed the launch of the euro in Brussels. He was, we were told, on holidays. It is curious that he should schedule his holidays to clash with Germany's greatest triumph in Europe since Bismarck. Perhaps he lacks a sense of occasion - or good manners.
Charlie McCreevy missed the euro launch at the Central Bank in Dublin, though this was for the more reasonable cause of a severe flu. The Stock Exchange chairman, David Kingston, remarked that if the gardai could have Blue Flu, the Minister for Finance could have Euro-Flu.
Our EU Commissioner, Padraig Flynn, got wind of the availability of an EU budget to provide some costume drama for the euro launch - Brussels had humans dressed as large coins. Flynn, believing it was sinful not to spend a budget, transported the models for the sadly under-reported launch of the euro in Castlebar.