PD performance/analysis: The PDs were the authors of their own misfortune, writes Deaglán de Bréadún
Beware of what you wish for: you might get it.
This is the saying that comes to mind when considering the political fate of PD leader Michael McDowell.
If his ambition to lead the party had been realised after, rather than before, the General Election, he might well have retained his seat and his party could have fared better at the polling booths.
Luck is a scarce commodity in politics and McDowell was unfortunate that controversy over the Taoiseach's finances erupted at almost exactly the same time as his accession to the party leadership.
Having successfully convinced a significant proportion of the electorate in 2002 that the PDs were needed to ride shotgun in ethical terms on Fianna Fáil, the smaller party was inevitably damaged when it decided to remain on the rollercoaster with Bertie Ahern last autumn.
But the PDs might have survived that episode if they had kept their nerve when the election campaign got under way.
Always very media-oriented, some members of the PDs were rattled by further leaks from the Mahon tribunal which again showed the Taoiseach in an unfavourable light.
Historians may come to see it as the critical moment of the campaign.
Sunday newspapers were led to believe the party was walking out of government.
But there was an internal revolt and the PDs reverted to their self-appointed role as the Coalition's internal moral monitor. The PDs came across as dithering and indecisive during their "lost weekend".
Ironically, Fianna Fáil was energised by the crisis.
At a news conference the same day, Brian Cowen hurled defiance at his party's enemies and the outcome of the affair was a steadying of nerves and consolidation of forces on the part of Fianna Fáil.
Is this the end of the PDs as an influential force in Irish politics?
Despite their reduced representation in Leinster House, they may still have some kind of role in support of an administration under Fianna Fáil.
Yet at the same time it is hard to avoid comparisons with the decline and ultimate disappearance of other parties which made some noise on the political stage and then faded out, such as Clann na Poblachta and Clann na Talmhan in the 1940s and the Farmers' Party, the National League and the Centre Party in the 1920s and 1930s.
It could be said that much of the party's work is already done.
They demonstrated to other small formations in the Dáil that a party with very few TDs could still exercise major influence in coalition with a Fianna Fáil party that was always willing to be pragmatic over policy issues in return for staying in office.
The PDs can certainly make a strong case from their political viewpoint that they played a key role in reducing personal taxes and promoting an enterprise culture in this State, thereby helping to prepare the economy to take advantage of the opportunities presented by globalisation over the last 10 to 15 years.
The party undoubtedly suffered from the fact that its two ministers in the outgoing government held the most difficult and controversial portfolios.
Although their courage in opting for Justice and Health should be acknowledged, these jobs always attract more blame than praise.
Liz O'Donnell was caught in a very competitive situation in Dublin South.
McDowell's emotional announcement at an impromptu news conference that he is now quitting representative politics means life will be much duller for observers of the scene.
Asked if she would be prepared to resume the leadership, Mary Harney said it was a matter for the parliamentary party.
There is no obvious, thrusting young tyro waiting to take over the reins.
But it may still be just a little too early to say: PD - RIP.