Yes, it was a frenetic year and Drapier hopes all his colleagues are getting the rest they deserve because with an election in sight you ain't seen nothing yet. The coming year will have more than its share of surprises.
Drapier is not making any predictions. He is not a pundit, merely a humble practitioner, but he never ceases to gaze in awe at the certainty with which our professional pundits can predict events - with rarely a doubt, not a drop of diffidence and, of course, never a glance back to the scatter of wrong calls that illuminate the careers of most of our pundits.
What 1996 bore out for Drapier, as indeed has every single year this past decade, is that we live in an age where "events rule OK". Man - be it government, spin doctor, opposition - does indeed propose but more often than not it is the deities, in the shape of the events nobody expected, which dispose. And so often with a real vengeance.
Just think of it. Who could have invented the likes of Brendan Smyth, the monk Duggan, Greencore, the Johnson, Mooney and O'Brien site, all of which in earlier times came out of nowhere to rock governments to their very foundation. And who could have written the script for the missing letter in Justice, Ivan Yates's bilocation and most of all that long saga which culminated in Michael Lowry's fall from grace.
So take nothing for granted in the year ahead. The only certainty is an election, and in the current popular mood anything can happen. The campaign, when it comes, will be as crucial as it will be tough, and the overall majority, one way or other, will be slim. We live in uncertain times.
That, however, is ahead of us. This morning Drapier wants to look back and in so doing he is conscious that he was strongly criticised this time last year by Dan Boyle of the Green Party for personalising politics rather than concentrating on the major issues.
Drapier makes no apology. Politics, like life, is about people, and Drapier has the honour once more to make his annual awards to those who caught his eye this past year.
Drapier's Politician of the Year was not easy to choose. There were many outstanding performances in a difficult year. John Bruton suffered, not so much for what he did but did not do, but because of the troubles landed in his lap by some of his Ministers. Otherwise he showed a sure touch in all he did and was masterful in his handling of the European Presidency.
Likewise Dick Spring. His sheer stamina is a marvel, and there can be no halfway praise about his handling of Northern Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs. Bertie Ahern had a few bad moments in mid-year when the polls and a few bad Dail performances told against him, but he finished confidently, his authority restored and with the emergence of a new public respect.
Mary Harney, as is her wont, had a good year. She exploited every opening without mercy and was particularly effective as the year came to its close. The PDs are more buoyant now than they have been for years. A quick election would suit them, which in Drapier's view is one of the reasons we won't have one.
In the end of the day Drapier's award for Politician of the Year goes to Ruairi Quinn - and that in itself is a first. Finance ministers are usually at the receiving end of abuse rather than the recipients of praise.
So why Quinn? Not for specific reasons but for his total professionalism. First of all he showed a huge mastery of his very difficult brief; he steered his part of the European summit to an unexpected but successful conclusion against all odds; the economy continues to do well under his guidance; and by the end of the year the two major National Agreements upon which so much of our previous economic success were based were once more in place.
That, as they say, may be enough to be going on with, but in Drapier's view Ruairi Quinn has more going for him. He has a strong and well-articulated sense of what parliament is about and he is not afraid to speak his mind. He is, as Drapier says, a total professional. And he is Drapier's Politician of the Year.
DRAPIER now moves to some of the other categories, and as usual we start on the back benches. Drapier shares the Backbencher of the Year award between Kathleen Lynch and Eamon O Cuiv. Lynch is stylish, fearless, direct and funny. She calls a spade a spade, can hit low as well as aim high and has a great commitment to the people, especially the women, who put her in Leinster House.
O Cuiv is neither stylish nor flamboyant, but in Drapier's view he is one of the most selfless and dedicated TDs in Leinster House. He is always thoroughly briefed, has great energy and has much of the lost idealism of an earlier age.
When it comes to the award for Frontbench Performer of the Year Drapier goes no further than Brian Cowen. John O'Donoghue started well and had plenty of good material, but when it came to the gut stuff Brian came into his own. He had a patchy start to the year but ended on a high note.
Drapier also commends Des O'Malley. The old fox scented blood more than once and in Drapier's view there is no wilier parliamentary performer. Des has a lot of political and parliamentary life left in him yet.
Moving to the other side, Drapier's choice of Minister of the Year ultimately narrowed down to two, Mervyn Taylor and Richard Bruton. Taylor has a very impressive record of legislation to his credit, and history will judge his tenure as one of real significance. Bruton has shown himself to be a Minister of substance, quiet, competent but tough. He gets on with the job and under him new records have been set for the creation of jobs. So on points, the prize goes to Richard Bruton.
WHEN it comes to Junior Minister of the Year it ends up a two horse race. Hugh Coveney once again showed why he should be in the Cabinet. He took on extra work in Northern Ireland and impressed the people up there; he kick-started the prison building programme, but most of all he performed with style and integrity.
Pat Rabbitte is still the wittiest member of the House and some of his lines this year were as good as ever. He went a bit "ministerial" early on, but that is now past; his legislative record is excellent and was crowned by the production at the end of the year of the Credit Union Bill. It was this which tipped the balance in his favour.
Moving to the Upper House, Drapier had no shortage of contenders. Cathy Honan and Mary Henry did particularly well on health issues; Liam Cosgrave kept a clean sheet as whip before being elevated to the Chair. Indeed, there were many fine performances in what has been a good year for the Seanad.
Ultimately Drapier awards the Golden Toga to Tom Fitzgerald from Dingle, in part for his mastery of all matters marine but more so for his dedication to the Upper House and the air of decency he brings to everything he does. Finally this year a new category. None of us knows where we will be this time next year, but already a number of colleagues have indicated they will not be standing for re-election. To include these Drapier introduces a new award, The Person We Will Miss Most, and once again this prize is shared.
Ger Connolly was last year's Backbencher of the Year and is one of the more colourful and honourable people Drapier knows, with great common sense and a sharp wit. Jim Mitchell will be an enormous loss to Irish politics. He has a big heart, great experience, buckets of enthusiasm and his loss to the Government and his party will be huge.
Finally to all his readers Drapier wishes a happy new year. To his colleagues, one and all, his wish is a quota-filled year.