Willy goes on general release to some rave reviews

It's the heart-warming story of Free Willy (general certificate). So far, anyway.

After eight years living in a glass tank in Washington, condemned to perform amusing if sometimes dumb tricks under the gaze of millions, Bill Clinton has been released back into the wild.

But has he lost his killer instincts? Will he be a fish out of water? And can his notoriety (known in the trade as "Kenneth Starr appeal") still do business at the box-office?

At a reported £100,000 appearance fee for last night's In- dependent lecture, the answer to the last question appears to be Yes. And on the general evidence of his latest return to Dublin, Mr Clinton has lost nothing except the keys to the Oval Office.

The "low-key" security for his visit to Aras an Uachtarain included at least 15 Secret Service men. They wore dark suits as always, and kept their jackets on despite sweltering temperatures. And although the biggest security threat appeared to be the possibility of a mass escape from the chimps' enclosure in the expanded Dublin Zoo nearby, their sense of humour hadn't noticeably improved since the last time.

Mr Clinton's reduced circumstances were reflected in the fact that the President, Mrs McAleese, didn't come to the door to greet him, but met him in the hallway inside.

Another slight difference occurred during the photocall. On previous visits media questions were strongly discouraged. This time they were even more strongly discouraged.

Nevertheless, an intrepid TV3 reporter tried one anyway, and before the snipers could get a clear shot of her Mr Clinton was replying. Yes, he missed the White House, he admitted. "There's no place quite like it for the chance to do good things."

But he was enjoying retirement, such as it was. "I love my new senator from New York. I feel well represented in Washington, and I don't feel the need to be there."

The new senator wasn't accompanying Mr Clinton on this occasion but, in one of his last functions here, outgoing US ambassador Mike Sullivan was.

He leaves this summer to make way for George W's man and, given the loss of the White House to Texans, his trademark cowboy hat struck a poignant note yesterday.

But Mr Clinton betrayed no signs of regret. "Life's great," he told reporters at the Aras. And it wasn't hard to believe him as he was driven away, flashing his killer smile, and clearly having a whale of a time.