Mary Raftery examines the reasons why the Labour vote was so low in the Dublin Central by-election.

THE TUMULT AND THE shouting had died, the television lights had been turned off, the journalists had gone back to their papers to write their stories. In other words, it was Sunday afternoon at me Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, Gerry Adams' speech had cherished and there was nothing left to listen to or write about.  By Colm Toibin.

IT WAS HARD TO IMAGINE that you were in the same place. But there, just a mile, or maybe less, away from these events in the Mansion House on the same day, Sunday 13 November 1983, sat the congregation in St Patrick's Cathedral, all joined together to commemorate all those who were torn asunder in the First World War.

MICHAEL FARRELL WILL have two books launched next week. One is his "Magill Book Of Irish Politics" which, because it's produced by ourselves, we will not comment on it or mention it in any way. It would be unfair to other books of politics, it would give this one an unfair advantage and would take up too much space. Anyway if you want to know about it, and see all the many reasons why you should buy it, there's an advertisement for it on page 38.

Colm Toibin looks at the Sunday Independent in the light of Michael Hand's recent resignation as editor

DUMPETTY-DUMPETTY MUSIC, and then Pat Kenny appears, his eiuows braced on the desk and him staring intently at the camera like he might suddenly leap up and wrestle it to the ground. Hint of a Boyish Smile. (Thank God, that means they're not doing the North tonight. When they do the North it's Eyebrows Dipping and a hint of Oh God Wouldn't It All Get You Down Sometimes But Sure You Have To Soldier On Don't You?) Kenny: The Presidency. The highest office in the land. Today President Hillery was inaugurated for a second term at a rather splendid affair at Dublin Castle.

Gay Mitchell:  FOLLOWING his superb performance during the Papal visit, Brian Farrell again rose to poetic heights in his commentary on the Presidential inauguration. Herewith some short pieces from Decem ber 3.

ON SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER at 2.00pm the prison officers in Mountjoy met in the visiting box, which is just inside the main gate. The meeting was interrupted by the acting prison governor who addressed the meeting and told the prison officers that if they were not willing to go back to work they were to leave. At 7.30pm, when the day shift ended, the last of the prison officers left the prison. The prison was now being run by Gardai.

EVERY SINGLE TD in the Dail is subsidised to the tune of £13,84 tor food, every day the Dail sits. This is the breakdown of the £200,000 subsidy of taxpayers' money to the Dail restaurant. By Gene Kerrigan

From courtroom evidence, Gene Kerrigan reconstructs the story of a long-serving garda suddenly caught up in controversy, violence and the death of a suspect in custody.