Good to see Gerry Adams back in the Dáil after his trip to Canada and the US for the Gathering (of the dollars).

First stop for the Sinn Féin leader was the party’s lucrative New York fundraiser in Manhattan’s Sheraton Hotel. The area was still reeling from superstorm Sandy; Gerry writes in his blog this week about being there during the difficult aftermath.

But he soldiered on.

“Despite all of this and as other events were being cancelled, the Friends of Sinn Féin Committee decided to proceed with our annual New York dinner,” writes Gerry. “The packed ballroom last Thursday evening was a testament to their good judgment and the loyalty and commitment of Irish America.”

From there Gerry moved on to Philadelphia, where he addressed the annual dinner of the Irish society, and then to Toronto to present the local GAA’s inaugural United Ireland Cup, sponsored by Friends of Sinn Féin.

“And finally,” he writes, “the annual dinner was another packed affair. Over 200 people attended the event. There was also strong representation from the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Laborers International Union, the Ironworkers and the Steelworkers.

“All in all, it was an eventful few days on the other side of the Atlantic speaking to friends of Ireland, as well as of Sinn Féin, and preparing the ground for the next phase in the struggle – a Border poll on ending partition.”

Three dinners in three nights. That’s stamina from Gerry – ready to dine for a united Ireland. We hope the party made a few bucks from the exercise. It usually does.

The Belfast Telegraph reported last week that about 1,000 tickets went on sale for the $500-a-plate dinner in Manhattan.

Sinn Féin told political correspondent Noel McAdam that the money raised would be used to support the “extensive” work of Friends of Sinn Féin – the party’s international support network – across the United States “in supporting the peace process and the united Ireland agenda”. And a few oul’ ink cartridges, no doubt . . .