WHILE the sun was setting on 18 years of Tory rule, members of the Irish Labour Party were heralding a new dawn for New Labour in the heart of affluent Dublin 4.
Bedecked in balloons, Lansdowne Rugby Football Club turned red for the evening. Eight televisions blared out constant election coverage, Tony Blair's face stared out from every wall. Irish Labour was having a party. The whoops of joy that were heard as the Tories tumbled hinted that they wanted everyone to know it.
At 10 p.m. the BBC's exit poll alluded to an impending landslide victory for Labour. The supporters, by now a large and vocal group, almost dropped their pints in delight.
Ms Eithne Fitzgerald remembered the UK election night five years ago, when Labour Party members had held private parties in what turned out to be misplaced anticipation of a Labour victory. "I cried my eyes out," she said. "This more than makes up for it."
The Labour leader, Mr Spring, well used to celebrating victories at the club where he was captain, was absent. But his brother, Donal, had this to say about the similarities between Tony Blair and his sibling: "They are both young and energetic and they have both rejuvenated their parties".
Mr Fergus Finlay, who recently popped over to Labour headquarters in London for some electioneering tips, said it was "marvellous that a Labour victory was imminent.
"But if Michael Portillo and Peter Lilley lost their seats it would really make my day," he said.
As the crowd took in a spot of swingometer watching, the room began to exude valedictory air.
With one hand they waved out the intolerable Tories; with the other they ushered in their cross channel comrades.
Dr Mary Henry thought a Labour win in Britain would boost morale in Ireland. Her friend, Ms Mary Kearney, had just received a diamond pin for 50 years of service to the Irish Labour Party. "It's wonderful" she said.
But it was not all triumphalism and uncontained joy. One Labour supporter said he felt sorry for John Major: "He is a good man with a lot of scumbags in his party. He would make a very good Labour minister".
Another supporter had an idea about the way the talents of the Labour leaders could be better utilised.
"If we could get Blair to stop smiling all the time and Spring to smile occasionally, then that would be another victory", he said.
. The British deputy Labour leader, Mr John Prescott, said in his victory speech in Hull East, that his party would return honesty to politics.
"People have turned to Labour and I'm delighted that they have given us their trust and we will repay that in full. We will have a Government now that will deliver what we have promised and at the same time put more honesty back into politics than we have seen in the last few years," he said.