Dail Sketch/Frank McNally: He scaled a lamppost before the last election to warn about the dangers of single party government. But back at ground-level yesterday, it was Michael McDowell's own singularity that was judged dangerous.
In the space of a few minutes in the Dáil, he heard himself described as a "one-man tribunal", a "one-man star chamber" and most impressively as a one-man "DPP, judge, jury, and executioner".
For all his talent at climbing up things, however, the Minister for Justice is not so good at climbing down. Insofar as he was appearing at low altitude, it was not to apologise for his role in the Frank Connolly affair; it was only because he had to address TDs at their own level. There was an early taste of the debate when Enda Kenny paid a back-handed compliment to Mr McDowell's "formidable intellect", whereupon the Minister rolled his eyes to heaven, perhaps in search of a brain to equal his own.
Reviewing his recent actions, the Opposition did find one human equivalent, albeit from half a century ago, in the US. The Minister's concerns are not so much reds-under-the-bed as Provos-under-the-sofa. But the Greens' Ciarán Cuffe thought there was "a touch of Senator McCarthy" about him. And when Mr McDowell rounded on his critics by suggesting some were "afraid of the truth", Michael D Higgins's worst suspicions were confirmed. "You know who said that in the 1950s?" he spat back.
For the most part, it was an oddly quiet Dáil. You could tell Fine Gael was uncomfortable at being outflanked on a law-and-order issue and at having to accuse a Minister for Justice of over-zealousness in defence of the State. Mr McDowell wore a blue shirt for the occasion, as if to rub it in.
When Enda Kenny found himself being cheered on by Finian McGrath - the Minister's critic-in-chief - it was too much. He assured the left-leaning Independent that he didn't need his encouragement. But holding Mr McGrath at arm's length, while also keeping a 40-foot pole between himself and Mr Connolly, the FG leader battled gamely, demanding details of the threat to the State cited by the Minister to justify leaking material from a criminal investigation.
Pat Rabbitte, too, felt the need of a preface about Mr Connolly having questions to answer, although he went on to ask whether the latter's impending investigation into Thornton Hall had been a motivating factor in the Minister's actions.
Only Mr McGrath worked up real enthusiasm for the journalist, praising his "tireless" work to expose sleaze and accusing the Government of conspiring to "take him out". The shuffling sound in the background was James Connolly moving over in the pantheon of republican martyrs to make room for his namesake.
Meanwhile, Mr McDowell had also found himself worthy company, even if he had to go back to the 18th century for it.
"The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing," he said, quoting Edmund Burke. "Get off the stage," replied Mr McGrath.