It occurred to Drapier as he perused the lunchtime menu in the Dail restaurant that many of his younger colleagues seem to forget, or indeed never knew, what Holy Week used to be like in here.
Drapier is old enough to remember the late Oliver J. Flanagan and his daily collations of black tea and dry toast during this penitential season, and he remembers, too a restaurant menu rigidly determined by the Roman rules of fast and abstinence.
When Drapier occasionally reminiscences about these departed days his younger colleagues look at him as if he is really losing it, before asking our beloved Margaret for some pasta with basil pesto and sundried tomatoes.
At times like that Drapier's mind goes back to dear departed colleagues like Joe Bermingham or Willie O'Brien or indeed Johnny Callanan, all decent meat-two-veg-and-plenty-of-spuds men and none the worse for that, and moreover men to whom the Lenten fast was second nature.
Holy Week does that sort of thing to Drapier and illustrates for him just how much we have changed, not just in here, but in the State generally.
It was also a portentous week, overhung most of all by the unfolding events in Hillsborough. It is a strange feeling, this sense of isolation and helplessness we all feel as we sit in the national parliament, watching events one hundred miles up the road, gleaning scraps where we can, but with no input other than the good will and the support of a united parliament behind our negotiators.
Bertie Ahern is at his best in situations like this. No one can doubt his commitment, energy or negotiating skills, and so it was this week. It will not be his fault, nor indeed that of any of his predecessors going back as far as Jack Lynch, if the outcome is not successful.
Drapier has said before and will say it again, this State has been superbly well served by its permanent officials in its dealings with Northern Ireland.
When the history of this time comes to be written names like Noel Dorr, Sean Donlon, Paddy Teahon, Martin Mansergh, Dermot Gallagher, Sean O hUiginn, David Donoghue and others will emerge with great distinction.
In any event all we could do during the week was wait and hope, while getting on with the business in hand. It was a tetchy enough week, with most heat being generated by the fallout from the Philip Sheedy case.
Drapier was much taken with the comments of the UCD law lecturer John O'Dowd on Morning Ireland, warning us all about the Law Library as a great engine of gossip, much of it spectacular, some of it malicious, which has driven this controversy from the outset. The longer he stays in politics the more Drapier is coming to see lawyers as one of the big curses of contemporary public life.
Yes, Drapier knows he is in a crusty mood and he knows he is overstating it, but he has long argued that the legal profession, especially the Bar end of it, has such a conceit of itself and expects the rest of us to take it at its own estimate, that we frequently end up working to its agenda rather than following our own judgments and instincts. And when we do, we generally get it wrong.
And to too great an extent we do let lawyers set the agenda. All of us have experience of being lobbied when judicial appointments come up - and it still goes on - and then when the appointment is made of being treated with lofty disdain by the newly appointed judges. What do we mean? Of course, they got there solely on their own merits!
Drapier has swapped many stories with colleagues from all parties who tell of how, when the smallest reform is proposed for the legal profession, the legal colleagues suddenly unite in common cause, telling us all in portentous tones of how "unwise" or "ill-judged" or "premature" such a change might be. It would be better to wait. And wait we usually do.
Anyway, with that off his chest, Drapier does concede there was legitimate cause for public interest in the way the Sheedy case was handled. There were the circumstances of one event following on another which could be seen as highly suspicious.
Mary Harney rightly conceded the justification for public disquiet and concern. The Opposition was absolutely right to pursue the issue but Drapier cautions his colleagues to be aware of bouncers and spinners being bowled from inside the fevered and at times hysterical portals of the Law Library. Most should carry a government health warning.
And since it is Easter, the time when we commemorate risings or revolutions, let Drapier say that when his revolution comes, his first target will not be Government Buildings, the Bank of Ireland or Archbishop Des Connell's palace, but the Four Courts - and he suspects that for once the people will not dissent.
Speaking of portents, Drapier was much taken by Dermot Ahern's reported affidavit to the Flood tribunal published in the Sunday Business Post last week. Drapier has to assume the report is accurate and if so, it may be the first real time-bomb which has been rolled under the Government in that tribunal. Dermot Ahern is a careful and ambitious man. He is still young and has no intention of doing himself damage. He is also an officer of the courts who jealously guards his professional and personal integrity. He does not do or say things lightly.
Meanwhile, the discussion on Padraig Flynn's successor continues, though in a more muted and distracted form. Maire Geoghegan-Quinn continues to be the front-runner, but Drapier noted the appearance of his old friend Gerry Collins on Questions and Answers. Gerry is not going to let this one go by default and he put in an impressive performance.
It was Gerard the senior statesman, the seasoned campaigner, the mandarin who is also a man of the people. In any event Gerry - sorry, Gerard - was signalling that he is still very much in the frame and will be there until the last shot is played.
Another name also surfaced this week, and this time within Cabinet - none other than that of Brian Cowen. He is, let it be said, tough, energetic, a good negotiator who makes his presence felt. He is completely in touch with developments and most important, Laois-Offaly is a constituency Fianna Fail could not conceivably lose. In Drapier's view, he would not be half bad, but his money still remains on Maire Geoghegan-Quinn.
Finally this week, on a sad note - Micheal Martin was due to take the Education Qualifications Bill through committee in the Seanad on Thursday when word came through of the tragic death of his baby son. There was a genuine sense of sadness and loss, most movingly captured by Mair in Quill, as all sides united in sympathy for Micheal and Mary Martin.
