Enda Kenny had one last thing to do before he announced his resignation to the Fine Gael parliamentary Party.
As he rose to his feet, he pressed “send” on his phone, texting a thumbs up emoji to Jack O’Donnell in his department. That was the signal. Jack gave the nod to Sarah Moran, who has been the Taoiseach’s PA since he entered office.
At 16.23pm, Sarah, with sadness, sent out his resignation email, speading the news before anyone could leak it.
Enda only told his closest advisors he was resigning minutes before he left for the meeting. They didn’t know what was in his statement, which he wrote alone in his office.
He left the party rooms in Leinster House as soon as Chairman Martin Heydon wished him the best. Enda didn't stick around. Instead, he went with a small group of friends and staff members to Marcels restaurant in nearby Merrion Row.
After that, he said he fancied a pint and Jack nipped along to O’Donoghues pub to do a reccie. The group repaired to the beer garden and took up residence at one of the barrels.
Enda spent most of his time signing autographs and posing for selfies with locals and delighted American tourists, who queued to have a word and congratulate him on his recent speech in the White House. He left, like Cinderella, before midnight.
On Thursday, the Coptic Pope, Tawadros ll, visited Leinster House with his large entourage. Little did Enda know that, had he stayed on for just one more day, he would have met the Pope after all.
On the same day, Michael Noonan said he wouldn’t be seeking re-election or a cabinet post under the new Taoiseach.
He told Paschal Donohoe his news over coffee on Thursday morning, and in the evening, they went for a few quiet pints to Foleys, also in Merrion Row.
