Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor, found delegates pleased with their leader's performance.
"Sinn Féin are the only all-Ireland party, and are the only party striving towards some form of equality for the country. It's a shame that there is so much apathy towards politics in the country at the moment. It's got to the stage where people don't really pay attention to the likes of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael at the moment, or the PDs. Sinn Féin are the ones to change all that."
Ms Stephanie Lord, Drogheda, joined the UCD cumann of Sinn Féin last year. This was her first ardfheis.
For her, the party makes politics real. It speaks her language.
She found her party president's address uplifting, as Mr Adams touched on the subjects that matter to her, like inequality and collusion between British forces and loyalist paramilitaries.
Mr Jim Falconer, Omagh, Co Tyrone, found Mr Adams's address a "strong and outgoing speech.
"It was outgoing in relation to unionism and to Sinn Féin's role in the process so far and how we've brought it forward. I think it was conciliatory towards unionists in that it said we wanted equality and inclusion. Nobody could really object to that as a policy."
Mr Falconer, like many other delegates, said he was worried by what he perceived as attacks on Sinn Féin by other parties in the Republic, and he blamed the development on the local and European elections in June.
"We're concerned about the propaganda that's being waged against us by other parties," he said, adding that Mr Adams had correctly identified the problem and addressed it adequately.
"This will rally activists," he said. "It's a rallying call to members and activists to work for the election both North and South." He also welcomed the social agenda covered not just by the presidential address but in ardfheis debates.
He said each ardfheis is more positive than the previous year's and he noted the swelling numbers of young people and the activity of Ógra Shinn Féin.
"The mood is positive. We can see that our work to date has got results. We're moving - but we're not complacent. We've still got a lot of work to do," Mr Falconer said.
Ms Marion Morgan, from Co Louth, was happy that the speech and the ardfheis covered so many diverse subjects from the political to the social.
Referring to Mr Adams's speech, she said: "It was very broad. It covered all the issues." Ms Morgan added that she particularly liked the inclusion of international questions.
Mr Micheál Mac Donncha, Dublin, liked the critical references to the Minister for Justice and the assurances "that Sinn Féin was not going to be bullied or pushed around.
"This whole business is a distraction," he said. "In the run-up to the elections, the Government here doesn't have its eye on the ball in terms of the peace process."
He said he agreed with the party president's claims concerning the governments' reluctance to embrace change and the stalling tactics of unionists.
"The [Irish] Government has ducked its responsibilities," he said. "It's trying to put the focus on ourselves."
Asked if the ardfheis would set the party on course for good elections in June, Mr Mac Donncha said: "I think we're already set up well."
Mr Killian Forde, a Dublin local election candidate, said the attacks throughout the ardfheis on Fianna Fáil were stronger than he had expected - but they were appropriate.
"I think we're going to come under sustained attacks - and not just on alleged IRA activity. I think everything's going to be brought into it." Asked if the strong criticism of the Taoiseach was fair, he added: "I think Bertie had it coming. I wouldn't like to see a dirty campaign. But I think it will be."
Mr Pat McGovern, Kinawley, Co Fermanagh, also liked Mr Adams's address. He thinks the McDowell attacks will rebound on the Government and act to Sinn Féin's advantage.
Looking to next June, he believes the party is well placed to fight a good election.
"When you look around here and see all the young people and see the young people on our list of candidates you get a great feeling. There's a good crowd here and there's a good mood inside the party despite all the outside elements."
Mr McGovern has been a Sinn Féin member for 30 years and believes young people are joining the party in numbers "because they don't see any alternatives".