While it may have been Brian Cowen's big day, it was also one tinged with sadness as the mantle of leadership was passed on, writes Harry McGee, Poltical Staff .
What happened afterwards was telling. All of Fianna Fáil's national representatives had gathered together on the plinth of Leinster House for the so-called "team" or "family" photograph. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, sitting beside Brian Cowen on the front row, leaned over and shook his hand. This was the so-called Kodak moment, the visual confirmation that the chalice had been passed from Ahern to his successor.
A minute or two later, the group of over 100 began to disperse. Brian Cowen was mobbed by well-wishers and colleagues. In contrast, Bertie Ahern turned his back and walked back to the doors of Leinster House, flanked by a few TDs and Senators. You couldn't help but be struck by the sadness of it, another retelling of Enoch Powell's prophetic – if hackneyed - phrase that all political careers end in failure.
For today has been Brian Cowen's day. The election of a new leader of Fianna Fáil is a special and relatively rare occasion (for clarity – he became leader-designate and does not assume the position until Bertie Ahern steps down on May 7th). The Laois-Offaly TD will become only the seventh leader of the party and the first of the 21st century. And given that the average tenure has been over a decade it's likely that he will lead his party into two elections with his term taking in the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
Mr Cowen this afternoon strongly invoked the spirit of the Easter Rising and the republic that eventually emerged from it in his comments, both to his parliamentary party colleagues and to the wider public at the press conference that began at midday.
Speaking to Fianna Fáil TDs, Senators and MEPs, he quoted from the most iconic of the 1916 revolutionaries, Padraig Mac Piarais, and in the course of the press conference, he harked back to the philosophy of Sean Lemass on three occasions to the effect that political progress of any kind relies on an upsurge of patriotism.
Lemass, he said, defined patriotism as love of country, and pride in the history, literature and the culture and the ability to add to those achievements. "On this occasion on the appointment of a new leader," he said, "it is incumbent on all to subscribe to that particular credo today. Let it be the inspiration for what we set out to do."
Given Cowen's own down-to-earth image, there was a formality to the occasion, held in the grand surroundings of the main hall of the Royal College of Physicians. The hall was packed but with dividing lines that were the modern equivalent of Mass in the 1950s – Fianna Fáil members were lined up on one side of the hall, with the media assembled on the other side.
The Tánaiste delivered an eight minute speech that was relatively low-key, almost a third of it delivered in his fluid Irish (the native language will be a priority). He spoke about it being truly a great honour, both professionally and personally, mentioning his wife Mary, his mother, Mae, and his daughters, Sinéad and Maedhbh.
"It regard it as a great privilege and the highlight of my political career so far," he said, and continued by emphasising the orderly transition and the continued unity of the party.
He concluded by saying: "My commitment to my colleagues and my party members and fellow citizens today is that on becoming leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach on May 7th. I will devote all of my abilities and all of my energies to the task."
However, while Bertie Ahern may be walking off the pitch his successor gave few indications yesterday of his tactics or his game plan or even what team will taken the field when he slides on the captain's armband on May 7th.
In the course of the press conference he would not be drawn on any specifics in relation to his plans but did show that, like his predecessor, when it comes to details and statistics (on his current area of responsibility of course) he is equally capable of producing a sustained drizzle.
He did acknowledge, axiomatically, that the country faced more difficult times, and that his commitment to capital investment remains the same. That, of course, he said will mean the imposition of discipline on the current spending side.
In response to a question about another potentially sticky wicket, the national partnership talks, he gave little away but said that the "trick in politics", was to plan for the long-term while at the same time gaining short-term support.
He did signal that his style of leadership will differ from the incessantly moving nature of his predecessor.
"Bertie Ahern literally night and day lived the job of Taoiseach. He was a man of extraordinary patience and innate courtesy. I hope to match him but we all have our own style in that respect."
But given the nature and circumstances of Ahern's exit, it is certain that Cowen will try and strike a different note as Taoiseach. Many adjectives apply to him – abrasive and gruff in manner, cautious and conservative in policy. He himself said yesterday that he will effect changes for his changed circumstances. But in the limbo of what Cowen calls 'uncharted territory' – that four week interregnum before he takes the top job – the only person who knows the answer to all those urgent questions (the composition of the new Cabinet, who will be Tánaiste, who will be Minister for Finance, its policy priorities, and his style of leadership) is Cowen himself.
At least his lifetime habit of doing nothing on impulse has not deserted him.