Conference sketch: Born into a political family, little one-year-old Pippa Tuffy is showing early signs that she will not be politically mute, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent.
Attending the Tralee conference with her mother, Senator Joanna Tuffy, Pippa disrupted the party leader, Pat Rabbitte during his live TV address.
Her timing could not have been more perfect, given that Mr Rabbitte was just then talking about the difficulties of rearing children.
"Being a parent is never easy. Rewarding? Yes, deeply so. Fulfilling? Yes, immensely so," said Mr Rabbitte from the podium.
"Waaaaagh", interrupted little Pippa from the floor loudly, though whether in agreement, or not was difficult to say.
Faced with competition from a baby, Mr Rabbitte conceded defeat, throwing back his head in laughter. "Labour Youth is taking them in earlier and earlier, I see."
Babies were much in evidence throughout the weekend, so much so that it looked like a Green Party event during some moments. On Saturday, one toddler wandered into the Press Room only for his father to run after him, warning: "Don't go in there. They're journalists."
Little Pippa's outburst was probably the most obstreperous of the weekend, which saw delegates debate coalition options in a civilised fashion.
The televising of the debate, between 11am and 1pm on Saturday, which could have backfired spectacularly if it had gone wrong, probably helped to maintain decorum.
"People minded their Ps and Qs on the telly. They mightn't have been so polite if it had been held behind closed doors," said one opponent of Mr Rabbitte's coalition strategy.
Mr Rabbitte looked a happy, relieved man once the coalition vote was put to bed successfully by an overwhelming majority.
However, one of his predecessors, Dick Spring much in evidence during the weekend, seems to look that way all of the time, having unburdened himself of the trials of office in 1997.
The casually-dressed Traleeman spent a large part of Saturday doing the rounds of the Brandon Hotel gathering, which was attended by 1,100 delegates and partners, meeting and greeting, and, perhaps, reminding himself of the life that he left behind. If the latter, the former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, who now spends his time in boardrooms rather than constituency and ministerial offices, does not appear to be missing it much.