FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy spent six whirlwind hours — one over schedule — in Dublin on Monday responding to a national outcry over a perception that he meddled in Irish affairs when he said there must be a second vote to overturn the referendum result in which Ireland rejected the Lisbon Treaty last month.

By the time he flew out in the French government jet the diminutive Sarkozy’s Gallic charm offensive during which he insisted he had been misquoted seemed to have worked.

Demonstrators did turn up, but the only hint of trouble came when an egg was thrown and missed the visiting cavalcade –- and it was hurled by a French waiter living in Co. Leitrim. He was given a ticking off in court and ordered to donate $240 to charity.

The Irish didn’t tell Sarkozy they would vote whatever way he wished -– but neither did they dismiss him as a meddling eurocrat.

Mark Hennessy of The Irish Times wrote next day, “His audience was wooed. In Irish it would be called plamas. In any language, it appears to have been effective.”

“Shaken and stirred by Gallic charm,” blared the Irish Examiner. “Charm offensive takes the sting out of Lisbon poll row,” said the Irish Independent.

Patricia McKenna, a former Green Party MEP (Member of European Parliament) who joined other No campaigners for a special meeting with Sarkozy, complained in the Irish Daily Mail of his repeated interruptions of speakers. Then she added, “Interruptions and annoyances aside, there was no denying the president’s charm or charisma.

“When he spoke to you he held your gaze and no matter what point you were making you felt you had his full attention, and you mattered. Easy to see how he became the most powerful man in France.”

The most powerful man in Ireland, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen, welcomed the visitor on the steps of Government Buildings with a handshake and a self-conscious “Bonjour Monsieur le President” followed by a slightly less awkward “Bienvenue.”

Several hours later when they met again for a joint press conference they were new best friends. As they bade farewell to each other they embraced. Sarkozy kissed Cowen on both cheeks. Cowen returned the compliment with a bashful air-kiss.

The real business of the visit – to assess why Ireland voted No to Lisbon and thus scuppered a process intended to change the way the EU is governed -– went on behind closed doors at a series of hectic meetings between Sarkozy and representatives of both the Yes and No campaigns in Ireland.

Sarkozy, who is also the current president of the European Union, denied he had told French MPs last week that Ireland had no choice but to hold a second referendum. He also repeatedly accepted that a solution could not be found by the time the French six-month EU presidency ends in December.

He insisted the Irish No vote has been and will be respected. “We don’t want to push you into anything. The European Union is a union of 27 states, and it will find a solution to the present crisis together as 27,” he said.

But Sarkozy also underlined the importance of arriving at some sort of solution before next year’s European elections. He indicated he was willing to get additional assurances for Ireland on the contentious issues of tax, abortion and neutrality.

Sarkozy said he understood the Irish situation, as the French found themselves “in isolation” when they also voted against the EU constitution some years ago.

Government officials indicated they were relieved with the way the visit had gone as Sarkozy had not inflamed the situation further. Sarkozy was also thought to have understood the anger he caused by his perceived comments last week over a second vote.

“We’re very happy, and we’re happy he listened,” a government source said.