ONE era draws to an end and another begins. That is the scenario this week as the Bruton-led Rainbow fades from the sky and Bertie fulfils his rudely postponed ambition to become Taoiseach.
The outcome of Thursday's events was fairly predictable, with the new Government having an even larger majority than expected. The transition was smooth and civilised, with nearly everyone paying tribute to nearly everyone else.
The main feature of Thursday afternoon's proceedings was the length of time they took as a long succession of assorted independents and semi-independents had their say. The packed House sat quietly, determined to grin and bear it while a variety of speeches, ranging from unreconstructed Marxism to Kerry parochialism, were delivered.
The assembly of a new Dail might be described as Independents' Day, particular where there is a minority government in the offing. If they don't have their say that day, they never will, and they know it.
The trivial parts of the media had plenty to amuse them and, as expected, divided their attentions between the exotic-looking and sounding creature from Kerry South and the member from Cavan-Monaghan who was escorted into the Partition Parliament of Leinster House by his two gallant lieutenant-colonels from north of the Border.
The republican movement decided later on Thursday night to celebrate the occasion of their first deputy taking his seat in Leinster House by attempting with a rocket to murder a few more policemen in a Land-Rover in Belfast. Happily, it missed and hit a primary school instead.
The Healy-Rae list of demands is unlikely to make the same impact as the infamous Gregory deal of the early 1980s, but at least they are entertaining. Drapier can imagine Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney sitting around a table this morning tearing their hair out trying to devise a way to make the sun shine 12 hours a day in Kerry in December and January so that the tourist season can be extended. Bertie is a great man for the art of the possible, but this may be beyond even him.
But the people of Kerry need not worry. Even if the new Government can do nothing for them, their beloved Kingdom is being sold worldwide by Sky News and others flashing the image and sayings of their cherished new deputy from continent to continent.
The highlight of any holiday must in future, be a conducted tour of Kilgarvan and environs by the man himself, followed by complimentary light refreshments in his own hostelry.
There was a more serious side to Thursday's proceedings also. Bertie's Cabinet got a mixed reception. It was unduly predictable. The surprises were more in who was omitted than in who was included. Bertie relied heavily on his frontbench team from opposition, not all of whom were impressive. Some of the big vote-getters were ignored and there was a fair amount of barely concealed but angry resentment in the Fianna Fail ranks.
Seamus Brennan was not best pleased at being excluded and then being handed the somewhat messy job of Chief Whip to a minority Government. Drapier could read the disappointment and annoyance in his face.
Michael Woods was thought by most to have passed his sell-by date. He will not rock too many boats in Marine. He will be predictably pedestrian.
Joe Walsh was an easygoing Minister for Agriculture in the past. He is not noted for original thoughts but this will suit the Department admirably, as it feels under siege from the new Programme for Government. Walsh will be a great ally in defending the status quo.
One of Bertie's trickier appointments may have been to put John O'Donoghue in Justice, to which is now added Mervyn Taylor's old Department of
Equality and Law Reform. John is a champion of yet another abortion referendum to solve all Ireland's problems. What is he going to do now as the zealots demand that he act?
Whatever about the mixed views on the Cabinet, some of which has a slightly lethargic air about it, there was general satisfaction that Seamus Pattison was unanimously elected Ceann Comhairle. His seniority and long service were recognised, and while Seamus may not be a great innovator, most deputies will want to try to co-operate with him.
By agreeing so readily to Pattison going forward for the chair, Dick Spring totally torpedoed any chances Bruton had of keeping an extended Rainbow in office.
The question now being asked is how long Spring will want to stay around as leader of the Labour Party. He is by far the longest-serving leader in the House and gave all the appearances of being very attached to office. His most likely successor appears to be Ruairi Quinn.
In this endless game, the aftermath of one election is hardly complete when thoughts are being directed in Leinster House towards another. The President is expected to take up her office as the UN Commissioner for Human Rights in mid-September as requested by the Secretary-General.
If she does this, the election would have to be held by mid-November at the latest, but it may possibly be in October. All the parties made what they now realise may have been the mistake of committing themselves to a contest. The present Government would probably dearly like to avoid a contest, given their minority Dail situation.
They talk about Maire Geoghegan-Quinn as a possible candidate, but the logic of her position is difficult to defend since she left public life to protect the anonymity of her son.
Drapier's educated early guess is that John Hume might suit everyone and it might suit John Hume, too, to leave the Northern scene after 30 years of unrelenting stress that does not look like getting any easier.