Hello Mary Lou

Aisling Ní Dálaigh gives Mary Lou McDonald a big hand at the count centre

An Phoblacht editor MARTIN SPAIN was among those who waited at the RDS on Sunday for a result, and waited...

One of the most adventurous (the churlish might say bizarre) initiatives of Sinn Féin's Dublin EU election campaign was the large blue sponge hands produced for the Dublin vs Westmeath Championship match in Croke Park, bearing the slogan 'Hello Mary Lou'. So, it was perhaps apt that one of the most abiding images of the celebrations after the result was announced is of the victorious candidate, surrounded by supporters, dancing a jig outside the Simmonscourt Pavilion, to a blaring rendition of the country classic that shares her name.

Of course, Mary Lou is no redneck. She is known as the ever smiling, unflappable candidate in the red jacket (a lucky talisman that will no doubt be carefully dry-cleaned and stored away for her re-election campaign in 2009).

On Sunday, that unflappability was tested to the max, as the count dragged on and on throughout a long hot summer day without any sign of the first count figures. The result couldn't be officially announced until after 9pm or so but everyone had expected that the first count would be completed by early afternoon and would be unofficially leaked to the candidates.

Instead, we all sweated together, occasionally alleviating the boredom by tallying the various candidates' second preferences, to see what clues might be gleaned about how the seats might pan out. The previous day's tally, which as it turned out had underestimated Mary Lou's vote, had alleviated no tension whatsoever.

We may have been in the Simmonscourt, but Funderland it wasn't. One conspiracy theorist was of the opinion that they were trying to bore us into accepting electronic voting.

But if there were no early election results on Sunday, there was plenty of other drama to keep up with. A tiny television on the RTE rostrum provided a window on two of the day's other main grudge events, the Wexford vs Kilkenny Leinster Championship semi-final from Croker and the Euro 2004 clash of France and England. Earlier in the week, a Wexford man on a radio chat show, in a discussion about who to support in the France and England game, made the point that the only time a Wexford fan would support the English would be if they were playing Kilkenny — the lesson being that all politics is local.

In the event, the hurling victory went to the underdog in the most dramatic way, a goal to snatch victory with the final puck of the game. The glass-half-full republicans in the hall felt this was auspicious, especially those of us with Wexford roots.

More hours of tedium followed, before RTÉ's 14-inch screen again became the focus for the soccer. But at least we were finally nearing a first count declaration.

I was strategically positioned near the RTÉ rostrum and as the returning officer prepared to make his announcement of the first count result, I heard the one and only Charlie Bird remark breathlessly, "Mary Lou McDonald has 60,000 votes. She's done it." And so it was. Mary Lou had a 20,000-vote lead on her two main rivals, outgoing Green MEP Patricia McKenna and Labour challenger Ivana Bacik.

The relief throughout the Sinn Féin camp was palpable. As Gay Mitchell's supporters cheered his election on the first count, we settled down again for the long haul, buoyed by the fact that the prize was in touching distance.

As it turned out, a good long period of penance, appropriate enough given the number of Catholics and lapsed Catholics in the room, was in order, and it was 3.30am before Mary Lou was finally declared elected.

After the cheers, tears, hugs, kisses and flag waving, a round of media interviews began, Mary Lou seemingly effortlessly clicking into professional mode. Meanwhile, the ambush was being prepared outside.

The hall by now was deserted, apart from a handful of media and party people and those cleaning up after the count. As they might have reported on Garda Patrol, a vehicle equipped with a loudhailing device had been drawn up outside the hall's main entrance. And even as Mary Lou completed her final interview with Sky News on her mobile phone, she was grinning, as the aural nature of the reception awaiting her exit became clear.

Dozens of supporters had stayed until the early hours to support their candidate and celebrate the party's historic first ever seat in the European Parliament. And what better way to celebrate than with Gene Pitney's country music classic, even if the lyrics bore no relation to the event bar name recognition?

Then again, perhaps '24 hours to Brussels' might have been more appropriate.

• Well done Mary Lou, Bairbre, Pearse, David, John and all our local election candidates. You have done us proud, and there is no doubt that these historic results have brought forward the day when the final British soldier will leave our country.