Humour is dangerous territory for a politician, particularly when journalists are around, but Pat Rabbitte has never been able to resist the temptation of a provocative one-liner.
Speaking to a gathering of old left-wing comrades at a book launch on Tuesday evening, he began: “I have just come from another heavy day spent reducing the living standards of the Irish people.”
Dear God! The Labour media handlers present were aghast. What did Pat just say? Some of them nearly passed out with the shock. (Which would have ruined the line of their suits.)
The handlers assumed – with some justification – that Rabbitte’s ironic reference to the new Croke Park deal would be instantly lost in translation and provide screaming headlines for the papers.
In the event, Pat’s deadpan remark passed without comment, probably because the Dáil was still in session and most hacks were toiling back in Leinster House.
Foley’s pub on Merrion Row was packed for the launch of Brian Kenny’s book about Tony Heffernan, the former Labour press officer who spent his working life in the cause of the Irish left.
Heffernan’s old friend Rabbitte marked the publication of From Merrion Square to Merrion Street with a typically entertaining speech.
MC for the evening was Rabbitte’s former deputy leader, Liz McManus. Or “Lady Wickla” as Pat was wont to say.
She redressed the balance somewhat by introducing him as “the Minister for blah, blah and blah”.
In the book, Brendan Howlin recalls events surrounding the Labour/ Democratic Left merger. Back in 1998, Howlin (Old Labour) led his party’s negotiating team.
At one point, he and Heffernan are pondering what role the DL’s backroom boy might play in this new set-up. Howlin mentions that Labour already has a political director, but nobody likes him.
That was 15 years ago and that political director is the likeable Ronan O’Brien, who now works as an adviser to . . . Brendan Howlin.
