The elaborate hall described by the State as “one of the most significant and prestigious public rooms in Ireland” was the scene of the significant defeat for the Lisbon Treaty referendum today.
St Patrick’s Hall, as part of the State Apartments in Dublin Castle, was also the scene of jubilant cheers from No campaigners shortly after 5pm when the result of the people’s vote was announced.
All day, the hall was quiet as a church, with just a few uniformed gardai, public officials and a motley crew of Irish and foreign journalists roaming around looking for a spot of “colour”.
There was none to speak of until political leaders and campaigners began to arrive. Everyone of any significance was descended upon by the hungry press herd, baying for “good quotes”. Everyone who was anyone, and indeed some who were no one, had a view on the No outcome that seemed inevitable from early in the day.
Accosted as he crossed the upper yard of Dublin Castle, Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins said the No vote was a victory for "tens of millions of workers” in the EU. Minutes later in the courtyard, former president of the European Parliament Pat Cox said the outcome was going to prove “difficult and messy” to sort out. But he respected the democratic process and the people had spoken, he said. “Damn them,” he might have added, but didn’t.
Later, Cox attempted to explain, in excellent French, to a bewildered French journalist why Ireland had said No to the Lisbon Treaty.
It was “très complexe”, he said. No, Irish people were not against Europe. But the result touched all of the member states in the EU and Ireland would now have to explain the outcome to those other states, he said.
There was some ugliness, as there often is when the extremes of both sides of such a debate are thrown together in one room to hear the result of such a ballot.
No campaigners played to the gallery somewhat when former Labour Party leader and chairperson of the Irish Alliance for Europe Ruairi Quinn arrived and stood for photos alongside current leader Eamon Gilmore.
Some of those with the Sinn Féin group and the People Before Profit Alliance shouted loudly that photographers should "take pictures of the realleft". "Is that the Labour Party? The Labour Party of James Connolly?" they hooted in the background.
As Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams arrived at the Castle with MEP Mary Lou McDonald, an international media scrum descended and photographers jostling with TV camera crews threatened to come to blows at one stage. There was pullin’ and draggin’ and a few sly elbows in the ribs as they howled at each other to get out of each other’s way. “Don’t you pull me,” one man growled, before they all agreed to give each other some space to shoot.
By the time the returning officer Maurice Couglan took the podium in St Patrick’s Hall to officially declare the result, the place was humming. Pat Cox, Ruairi Quinn and Fine Gael’s campaign director Gay Mitchell looked very grim indeed.
The buzz grew and Mr Coughlan was drowned out as he finished announcing the result, first in Irish. A beaming Niamh O Broin of anti-treaty group Cóir, in a fine pink leather jacket, was hoisted shoulder high by roaring supporters.
No campaigners roared loudly, some waving copies of the Socialist Worker newspaper carrying an article opposing US president George Bush’s visit to Northern Ireland next week.
“No no, no no, no no no to Lisbon,” they sang to the tune of a dance song. “A Europe for people, not profit,” the chant followed.
Within minutes, the splendid hall began to empty and the Yes and No camps retired to their corners, one side mortally wounded and now seeking a way to resolve something of a crisis.