Cardinal's `marriage' lines leave the Taoiseach unfazed

The sign at the entrance to the State Apartments in Dublin Castle seemed like a tone-setter for last Monday evening. "Please use the sanitised mats. Thank you!" it said.

But what was being hyped as the greatest showdown since High Noon was a much more relaxed affair.

The most discordant note was struck by Mr John Brett, a Catholic from Chicago, who lives "in the west". Standing at the Castle gates, he carried a handmade sign which read "Bertie is a Roaming Catholic".

The Taoiseach and Ms Celia Larkin arrived and posed for the cameras before going inside. Cardinal Connell arrived just after 8.05 p.m.

After the greetings, the assembled company gathered in St Patrick's Hall where the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, and the Cardinal sat on a small podium, behind a lectern.

The Taoiseach spoke first and drew the first laugh of the evening when he said: "Some would say that being born on the north side, educated in Belvedere College and living in Drumcondra are grounds enough to celebrate."

But he did not know whether Dr Connell's new Church of San Silvestro was north or south of the Tiber.

Cardinal Connell drew the second laugh when he told the Taoiseach, with obvious satisfaction, that San Silvestro was on the north side. The Cardinal's speech was effusive and something of a eulogy to the Government.

Later he became more philosophical, reflecting on questions such as "How is society to remain truly human?" He spoke of the church's commitment to the dignity of the human person and Cardinal Martini's [of Milan] observation about people losing important values without really noticing.

Then he got on to marriage.

"The church, too, has a profound reverence for the home, designed by the Creator through marriage and family as the deep centre of human intimacy on which the whole future of our society depends. And so it has been critical, for example, of political moves in the European Parliament when this has been required in defence of the family," he said.

Throughout the Cardinal's address, the Taoiseach had fixed his gaze at the paintings on the ceiling, a benign expression on his face. This was not disturbed by the reference to "marriage". Members of the Government and Ms Larkin did not seem to notice either. Nor did most in the hall.

Afterwards he and the Taoiseach mixed, separately, with the guests. As did members of the Cabinet and Ms Larkin. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant, without tension, even though Ms Larkin and the Cardinal's sphere of contact did not merge throughout the remainder of the evening.

The Taoiseach and Ms Larkin left at about 9.40 p.m.