FROM TULLAMORE TO LISBON HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE JOB SO FAR

Day 1 May 7Brian Cowen elected as the 12th head of Government. He makes Mary Coughlan Tánaiste and, to some surprise, appoints Brian Lenihan as Minister for Finance. There are long passages of Irish in his acceptance speech, setting a pattern.

Day 4 May 10

Cowen is given a euphoric welcome in his home county of Offaly. He is cajoled into singing to the crowds from platforms in Tullamore and Clara.

Day 6 May 12

Cowen urges the Fianna Fáil organisation to mobilise to get the Lisbon Treaty referendum passed.

Day 10 May 16

Fianna Fáil gets significant boost, attracting 42 per cent support in an Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll. Cowen's satisfaction ratings are at 52 per cent.

Day 11 May 17

Seemingly more good news for Taoiseach. Irish Times poll shows support for Lisbon Treaty running at two to one. Ominously, though, 47 per cent say they don't know or won't vote.

Day 15 May 21

First faux pas. A microphone in the Dáil picks up Cowen using an expletive when telling Mary Coughlan to call in the National Consumer Agency. "Ring those people and get a handle on it, will you? Bring in all those f***ers," he says. He expresses regret for any offence caused.

Day 17 May 23

Signals departure from predecessor Bertie Ahern by announcing end of Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway Races. Unnamed backbenchers also begin to grumble about a perceived "dictatorial" style.

Day 19 May 25

Taoiseach's comments that Fine Gael and Labour need to intensify their Lisbon campaigns begins a week of protests and bickering between the three main parties. Cowen later says he was responding to a question about The Irish Times poll which showed more Fianna Fáil voters supporting the treaty.

Day 24 May 30

Fianna Fáil and the two main opposition parties patch up their differences. Cowen takes part in a joint canvass on Lisbon in Dundrum with Labour's Eamon Gilmore and Olivia Mitchell of Fine Gael.

Day 26 June 1

With the IFA still advocating a No vote over the WTO talks, Taoiseach scores a victory by getting the ICMSA to endorse the Yes campaign.

Day 28 June 3

The IFA comes out for a Yes vote, but many see it as too late. Others claim that the Taoiseach had to concede too much to the farming group.

Day 31 June 6

Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll shows a reverse in fortunes with support for a No vote doubling to 35 per cent while the Yes side has declined five points to 30 per cent. The Government is facing a humiliating treaty loss.

Day 32 June 7

Cowen begins an intensive last-ditch campaign to try and recover the initiative on Lisbon. He is forced to clarify earlier comments that he has not read the treaty in full.

Day 34 June 9

Cowen, Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore make joint appeal for Yes vote. Show of unity is portrayed as coming too late.

Day 37 June 12

Polling day for the Lisbon Treaty.

Day 38 June 13

European Union is thrown into crisis by rejection of the treaty by 53 per cent to 46 per cent. Cowen accepts the result but says it is a "source of disappointment".

Day 40 June 15

Taoiseach tells RTÉ that there is no obvious solution to the crisis. "I have to use my position now and try and make sure that our interests are not compromised and not undermined."

Day 49 June 24

Hot on the heels of the Lisbon defeat, a second crisis looms. The ESRI warns that the country is slipping into recession. Cowen tells the Dáil he is preparing a package of measures to rein in spending in the second half of the year.

Day 57 July 2

Exchequer returns for first half of the year show a projected €3 billion shortfall in tax revenue. Spending cuts will be required to stay within EU guidelines of 3 per cent of GDP. Fine Gael and Labour accuse Cowen of "busting the boom".

Day 59 July 4

CSO figures show that 10,000 more claiming unemployment during June.

Day 63 July 8

Lenihan announces cutbacks of €1.44 billion over two years at a press conference with Cowen. The main element is a cut of 3 per cent in the public payroll.

Day 73 July 18

During visit to New York, makes keynote speech on the nature of the relationship between Ireland and the US. Is said to be privately annoyed at comments made by French president Nicolas Sarkozy that Ireland will need to vote a second time. Government criticised for not reining in French organisation of Sarkozy's visit and the publicity platform it will afford No campaigners. Fine Gael and Labour deeply unhappy about arrangements.

Day 76 July 21

Sarkozy's high-profile visit to Dublin. Cowen is given boost by French president's acceptance that there is no quick fix. However, Sarkozy says during private talks that a second poll should be held on day of European elections next year. This is rejected by opposition.

Day 86 July 31

Deadline for national pay deal between social partners expires. Cowen lets it be known that he is available to broker talks.

Day 88 August 2

National pay talks break down in the early hours. Cowen asks social partners to reflect on the situation before he meets with them at the end of the month.

Day 91 August 5

Further bad news on the economy with figures showing a further €776 million shortfall of projected tax revenue in July.

Day 96 August 10

Cowen scheduled to take a break from his holidays to open the Tullamore Show.