A clanging Dail bell hastened an end to the eulogies being bestowed on Mr Spring by his parliamentary party yesterday. Mr Fergus Finlay, retiring political director once denounced by some as a Svengali-like figure with undue influence in Labour, was speaking when persistent clanging for a Dail vote forced them all to leave and troop to the Chamber for a division.
By all accounts, Mr Spring was never calmer or more relaxed when they gathered to hear him speak the inevitable words in a building across the road from Leinster House.
If he had not been resigning, he could well have expected criticism at yesterday's gathering of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Instead, acrimony gave way to accord; homage replaced hassle; praise in place of reproof.
Every member of the parliamentary party spoke, with varying degrees of passion, of their leader's many positive characteristics. There was no historical analysis of his leadership spanning 15 years, just glowing tributes in, as one TD said, "a pleasant send-off".
Normal business had been suspended and Mr Spring delivered an unusually lengthy address to say he would depart his post from tomorrow. He was tranquil, showing no signs of melancholy.
`He set a tone and it was factual. He turned back to the way we were and how pleased he was now that Labour is a disciplined, serious party. He only acknowledged in a vague way the differences and disagreements that tore up Labour because this was not the time for recollecting the bad days and he concentrated on the positive things," said one source.
Nobody wanted to recall the rough times of the 1980s or the current difficulties facing the party after the general and presidential elections. This was a day for a dash of sentiment, remembering the Golden Age under Mr Spring. Said one deputy: "Those who had once been locked in ferocious combat were at peace."
Two TDs - Mr Willie Penrose, of Westmeath, and Ms Breda Cronin-Moynihan, of Kerry South - were most emotional in their expressions of gratitude. They spoke of all Mr Spring had done for them, a sentiment echoed by Senator Kathleen O'Meara, of Tipperary North.
Mr Michael D. Higgins was reported as witty in his anecdotes of past times. Mr Emmet Stagg, once an opponent of Mr Spring, referred to how he had worked, as secretary to Mr Joe Birmingham, in the office of his late father, Dan Spring. That was not today or yesterday.
According to Mr Stagg, Mr Spring as leader had managed to achieve consensus without anyone selling their souls or giving up on principles.
He may be leaving them in the hands of a new leader but Mr Spring promised he would not be leaving politics.
The parliamentary party delivered their verdict on his contribution. Now it's up to the historians.