Golf rather than tribunals was the innocent topic of conversation when the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, met Padraig Flynn on the streets of Castlebar during a constituency tour of Mayo yesterday.
Journalists who strained to hear the exchanges must have been disappointed about their less than newsworthy content. When the Taoiseach asked Mr Flynn if he had played golf recently, the former EU Commissioner replied that he hadn't hit a ball since January, but he did offer to play a round with Bertie once the election was over.
The "old pals" act lasted the length of Castlebar, with the Taoiseach occasionally breaking from the electioneering posse to pose for photos with Mr Flynn. All the while the latter's daughter, Beverley, one of the two outgoing Fianna Fáil TDs in Mayo, flitted briskly from door to door, alerting the populace to Bertie's presence and handing out election literature.
Not until the entourage had reached the Welcome Inn Hotel was the bubble of cosiness pricked by a barrage of reporters' questions. At a press conference, a man from TV reminded the Taoiseach that he was standing beside Ms Cooper-Flynn, from whom he had removed the party whip, and that some might say it was double standards for him to be beside her, smiling, and canvassing on her behalf.
Ms Cooper-Flynn visibly swallowed at the question, but the Taoiseach took it in his stride. Her court case was under appeal, he pointed out, and the law would take its course. Deputy Cooper-Flynn had continued to support the Government; she was a very strong member of Fianna Fáil and she had always been a part of the party, like her family.
Then, kicking expertly to touch, the Taoiseach added that the question of the restoration of the whip to Deputy Cooper-Flynn would be a matter for the incoming parliamentary party.
When the spotlight shifted to Beverley and it was suggested that she must feel a little awkward standing beside Bertie Ahern, the man who had taken the whip from her, she replied adroitly: "Not at all. I'm actually delighted to welcome the Taoiseach to the constituency of Mayo. I think he is a wonderful leader of the Fianna Fáil party. There is huge confidence in him . . ."
Earlier in the day, the Taoiseach visited Westport, where he went on walkabout and presented an ISO 5000 award to the local Popular Linens firm, which has secured a contract to supply towel-wear to European nations for the World Cup. After plant manager Liam Walsh had presented him with bathrobes, complete with World Cup logos, the Taoiseach remarked: "Even if I don't travel [to the World Cup], I will feel I am there."
Mr Ahern maintained a hectic pace during his tour of Mayo which, apart from Westport and Castlebar, also took in Ballina and Claremorris. Mary Loftus, from Castlebar, managed to command his attention for several minutes when she complained about the lack of cancer treatment facilities in the county. "Everything is in Dublin, there is nothing in the west of Ireland," she said. "Would you like to have to travel from Mayo with no helicopter, in a broken-down car?"
Throughout the day Mr Ahern was accompanied by outgoing TD Dr Tom Moffatt, Minister of State for Health, and the two Fianna Fáil hopefuls in the five-seat constituency. Senator Frank Chambers and Knock-based Cllr John Carty.