They may know how to party but high-ranking politicians are not enthusiastic when it comes to a wake.
Yesterday was Mr Tom Hayes's day when the senator who led the Tipperary South by-election from start to finish made it to the Dail at the second attempt. And senior Fine Gael members were out in force to catch some of the reflected glory.
A quick count of the respective front benches was all you needed to figure out that Mr Hayes had won long before the final result was declared before 4 p.m.
Party leader Mr Michael Noonan and director of elections Mr Charles Flanagan were joined by front-bench members Mr Phil Hogan and Mr Alan Dukes, as well as Dail Public Accounts Committee chairman Mr Michael Finucane.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet was represented by . . . well, nobody. Last year, Ms O'Rourke was the only senior Minister present when Fianna Fail suffered another heavy defeat in a Tipperary South by-election. Not even she could bring herself to witness a repeat.
Granted, the Lenihan family were well represented but Ms O'Rourke's nephew, Mr Brian Lenihan, as director of elections, could hardly have stayed away. His brother and fellow TD, Mr Conor Lenihan, was there to lend support.
From early in the day, when tallies suggested a clear victory for Mr Hayes, the only subject of debate was whether the returning officer, Ms Mary Delahanty, would have the whole thing wrapped up in time for the Munster hurling final, in which Tipperary were playing Limerick.
With eight extra counters bringing the total to 40, everything went exactly to plan and a first count was complete by 12.30 p.m. There was then a slight setback when Ms Delahanty announced a one-hour lunch break.
There was then the threat of derailment when Fianna Fail tallies suggested that their man, Mr Michael Maguire, would be 10 votes ahead of Ms Phil Prendergast after the second count. A recount was inevitable.
However, it emerged that Ms Prendergast had secured far more of Labour's Mr Denis Landy's transfer than anticipated - rather than being 10 behind she was 125 votes ahead.
The final count was over in plenty of time for people to catch the match in Cork. Alas, Tipperary won, leaving Limerick's Mr Michael Noonan to reflect that there is rarely such a thing as a perfect day.
