The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, went canvassing support for the Nice Treaty after yesterday's Cabinet meeting in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Ireland is the only country to have a democratic say on Nice, and the Treaty of Nice "is very important for applicant countries," Mr Ahern said.
He urged people to come out and vote in support of the Nice Treaty and the two other referendums strongly.
The Taoiseach and Mr O'Donoghue walked through the tourist town distributing leaflets on the referendum. The leaflets, in Irish, were probably lost on some of the town's citizens and visitors. This was Killarney, after all, so Mr Ahern met as many out-of-towners as natives.
For the vast majority of those he met, it was clear that it was nicer to talk to the Taoiseach, than to talk about the Nice Treaty.
"He's my idol," Ms Nicola McEntee, from Dundrum in Dublin, yelled as she stepped from a car to hug Mr Ahern and have her photograph taken with him. Ms McEntee will not be around for the vote as she is going to Greece on Friday, to work in a bar until September. Asked by reporters about the Nice Treaty, she said: "I haven't a clue".
Dr Catherine Grant, a doctor of philosophy, originally from Scotland but living in Killarney for several years, offered to send Mr Ahern a copy of her new book of poetry.
Afterwards, she told reporters she was unsure about Nice and was a bit worried about the implications of a European army and the country's capacity to lose its individuality. However, Irish people had not been properly informed about Nice, Dr Grant thought.
The only serious tackle of the day occurred in Crowley Footwear, in New Street, when pharmacist Ms Joan Willms challenged the Taoiseach on Government spending on education.
"There is more money for flock numbers in this country than for capitation numbers in primary schools," Ms Willms told him.
Ms Willms was joined by other parents who said they were very worried about what they claimed were Department of Education plans to stop children repeating a class.
Mr Ahern denied schools will lose the capitation grant for a child who repeats a class.