Sphinx breaks out in sunburst smile

Proinsias De Rossa was still as the Sphinx throughout yesterday's proceedings in High Court No 4. "Round Three" was how Mr Justice Carney characterised this latest encounter between Mr De Rossa and Independent Newspapers. Even as the jury assembled to give its verdict, Proinsias was impassive.

Eamon Dunphy, on the other hand, entered and left the courtroom a number of times, bowing with some deliberation in the direction of Mr Justice Carney on each occasion. It was a good bow, if not a great one.

For a lengthy period Eamon sat almost within touching distance of Proinsias, tapping his ring finger against the back of a bench while Mr Justice Carney summarised evidence in the case.

That was after the judge had told the jury how important they were."You're an independent republic, over there in your jury box," he said. A very young and very female republic too. With an estimated average twenty-something age, there was one young man and 11 mostly young women. They were to apply their collective experience of life to the facts of the case, the judge said. He also advised them to award Proinsias "substantial damages" if they found in his favour. But he wouldn't tell them what "substantial" was, he said.

All that history, Irish and Soviet, in Mr Justice Carney's lengthy summing up must have seemed to many on the jury no less than a brief history of time.

Neither Eamon nor Proinsias showed any initial reaction when the verdict was announced. Then a Mona Lisa smile passed like a shadow over those bearded De Rossa features, to be followed by a sunburst as he was deluged in congratulations by family, friends, and colleagues.

His party colleague, Ms Liz McManus, was expletive with joy. "delighted," she said, and speculated that if the sparkle wasn't back in Proinsias's eye again nothing would put it there. And yes, there was going to be a party, and maybe more than one. Members of Democratic Left like parties; they have been in many of them.

Then Proinsias spoke of the "four years, seven months, and 18 days" prior to his sparkling smile, his "obvious delight", at the result, and how the case was not an attack on the press. And all headed off to a pub on the quays.

Not surprisingly, Mr Dunphy and representatives of Independent Newspapers Ireland had less to say too. "Profound implications for Irish journalism," pronounced the managing director, Mr David Palmer. They were reviewing the situation, he said.

Eamon thanked all those who had supported him, the company, the legal team, everyone bar Mr Eastwood and Mr De Rossa. Then they returned to the Four Courts for further rumination on Proinsias's terrible booty.