"Does that mean RTE won?" Joy Hawe whispered to the journalist beside her when Mr Justice Morris finished speaking. She had given evidence for RTE during the trial. When told that it did, she whispered this to Marina Howard sitting beside her.
There was a small smile from Ms Howard, who in turn whispered the meaning of the judgment to her father. For the first time since the libel trial began, the strained face of Mr James Howard broke into a smile.
Mr Justice Morris had just finished reading his judgment where he said that Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn should pay all the costs of her 28-day libel action, including those of an earlier High Court action.
Ms Cooper-Flynn was not there to hear him say that, because the jury had found "the plaintiff's character was flawed" at the outset of the case, it was irrelevant that it had found in her favour in relation to Mr Howard's claims.
Mr Howard's solicitor said afterwards that he had nothing to say, but his daughter said they were relieved it was all over.
Outside the courtroom Charlie Bird was grinning from ear to ear and hugged Mr Howard as he emerged. RTE's executives and lawyers were being determinedly non-triumphalist, but Mr Kevin Feeney SC called out to Mr Howard as he passed: "You've dropped your cap." There was a rush to retrieve the tweed cap.
Outside the Four Courts, Mr Howard briefly broke the silence he has maintained since the judgment.
"I feel good, good. I'm very happy." He paused, then added: "I'm going home now."
A few minutes later RTE's director of public affairs, Mr Kevin Healy, emerged with Charlie Bird and Mr Ed Mulhall, director of news, to read a brief statement describing the outcome as "satisfactory", and claiming vindication for the broadcasts.
He might have been talking about winning fifth prize for a documentary about rare insects.
"Shake hands!" urged the photographers.
"No. No showbiz," insisted Mr Mulhall as he stood, unsmiling, facing the cameras.
But Charlie Bird could not resist responding to the questions shouted at him. "I was here before. I was very happy. I'm happier now."
"Everyone is going back to work," said Ed Mulhall.
"One more," pleaded the photographers. "Last one," said Mr Mulhall, before he and his colleagues left.