The political ghost of Mr Ray Burke hovered in the background as the Taoiseach took to the hustings in Dublin North at the weekend. He was launching Fianna Fail's effort to retain the seat left vacant by the resignation of the then minister for foreign affairs last October.
The seat, once regarded by Fianna Fail as a safe bet, is under strong attack from Labour's Senator Sean Ryan, a TD for the constituency from 1989 until last year's general election.
Saturday was the first time in over five decades that a member of the Burke family was not accompanying a Fianna Fail leader on the campaign trail. Mr Burke's father, P.J. Burke, represented the area in the Dail from 1944 until his retirement in 1973, when he was succeeded by his son who held the seat until his resignation.
Although Mr Burke has firmly declared that he is finished with politics, there is speculation that a member of the family, or a close associate, may run in the next general election.
And if the by-election convention is anything to go by, his personal machine still carries clout. It helped deliver the nomination to Mr Michael Kennedy against the wishes of party headquarters.
Mr Kennedy, an insurance broker who lives in Portmarnock and represents the Malahide ward on Fingal County Council, is from the stronghold of the sitting Fianna Fail TD, Mr G.V. Wright.
"I do not agree that my electoral base should be an issue," said Mr Kennedy. "In very many constituencies the sitting TDs are quite close to each other. There is no area in Dublin North which is not within a half-hour drive of me."
If Mr Wright is worried about Mr Kennedy being a long-term threat to his own position, he is not showing it publicly, accompanying him on the canvass and writing a glowing personal endorsement in the candidate's campaign leaflet.
In Balbriggan on Saturday, Mr Ahern, with Mr Kennedy and Mr Wright never far away, conducted a vigorous canvass. The only sour note was sounded by 83-year-old Mr James Mallowes, who complained that he was paying £34 a week in tax.
"It is not a joke. What is Charlie Haughey paying? And Ray Burke, and a lot more of them?" he asked the clearly embarrassed canvassers.
While all parties have their campaigns under way, Mr Ahern would not say when the writ for the by-election would be moved. But he ruled out its happening on Wednesday, when the Dail resumes after the Christmas recess.
Speculation now centres on the end of March, with the by-election in Limerick East, caused by the death of Labour's Jim Kemmy, being held on the same day.
Dublin North saw a Fianna Fail breakthrough in last year's general election when Mr Wright, a member of the outgoing Seanad, gained a second seat at the expense of Mr Ryan, who was subsequently elected to the Seanad.
Fianna Fail took 38.65 per cent of the first-preference vote and Mr Burke, who topped the poll and was elected on the first count, was the first to be declared elected to the new Dail. Mr Wright's first preferences were up more than 2,100 over his 1992 election figure, and fewer than 1,200 votes under the quota on the first count.
Fine Gael's Mrs Nora Owen, the outgoing Minister for Justice, comfortably retained her seat, and Mr Trevor Sargent of the Green Party held off Mr Ryan's challenge for the fourth seat.
Without Mr Burke, Fianna Fail is considerably weakened. To add to its woes the PD candidate, Mr Finian Fallon, a business adviser who had accumulated 1,558 votes when he was eliminated on the fourth count in the general election, has firmly ruled out a voting pact with his party's Government partner.
He is seeking votes on the basis of the PD performance in office and the need to strengthen the party in the Dail, noting the investigation into the Ansbacher accounts initiated by the Tanaiste and party leader, Ms Harney.
The extent of the dramatic collapse in Mr Ryan's vote, from 14,693 in 1992 to 5,616, caused surprise. But his success in the Seanad election and his ongoing constituency work will see him strongly challenge Fianna Fail, still reeling from Mr Burke's resignation.
Mr Ryan said his defeat was due to the perception of many voters that he was safe.
"Since the election, countless people have said that they would have voted for me if they knew my seat was in danger, so I think I will win back a good deal of my vote. I am standing on my record as a public representative, locally and nationally."
The Fine Gael candidate, Mr Philip Jenkinson, is a horticulturalist. He took over Mrs Owen's seat on Fingal County Council when she was appointed a Minister, and secured 1,857 first preferences as her running mate in the general election.
He believes that much of Mr Burke's vote is there for the taking. "It was hugely personal, and I believe that Fianna Fail will not be able to hold it."
Ms Clare Daly, an Aer Lingus employee from Swords, who polled close to 3,000 first preferences in the general election, is the Socialist Party candidate. Mr Paul Martin, a health care worker from Portrane, is the Green Party candidate, and Mr Ciaran Goulding from Lusk, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, is campaigning for rights for the disabled and their carers.