The great and the good from Fine Gael past and present, and a few others, crowded into the National Museum on Tuesday for the launch of Senator Maurice Manning's James Dillon: A Biography. John Bruton, who did the honours, was introduced as a former taoiseach, but given the audience a heckle of "and future" was no surprise. He said Dillon was a flamboyant realist whereas Sean Lemass was just a realist. The book was "wonderful" and he could say that having read every word.
The author said the shortest speech ever delivered in Leinster House was not by Dillon, as some thought, but by Liam Cosgrave in the 1970s. There was a debate on charges of corruption against James Tully, which clearly were of no substance. When he rose to speak, Cosgrave reckoned that everything that should be said had been said. He wound up in five words: "a Ceann Comhairle res ipsa loquiter".
Practically the entire FG front and backbenchers from both houses were in attendance and at least one member of the present Government - the AG Michael McDowell. Other nonblueshirts at the launch included Labour's Ruairi Quinn and Dick Spring, Seanad leader Donie Cassidy, PDs Des O'Malley and John Dardis, former AG Harry Whelehan and P.J. Mara. The hero of the Dail, Jim Mitchell, whose committee showed that politicians are not just lobby fodder but equal to any mega-rich SC, was missing, since he was hosting drinks across the road in Buswells to mark the end of the DIRT inquiry. Members, staff, media and spouses all attended. No witnesses, though, and the only lawyers in sight were those acting for the inquiry itself - Frank Clarke and his team.