Now it seems he's about to return to his former roots, especially after his comments that Pat Rabbitte "is not fit to be a party leader". Bree and Rabbitte have some form.

Last year, Rabbitte claimed that as mayor of Sligo, Bree had opposed the location of traveller accommodation in his own electoral area. The allegation was later proven to be incorrect, but a formal complaint from Bree was rejected by Labour headquarters. Bree has, however, neither forgotten nor forgiven.

"Pat Rabbitte's outrageous attack on me cannot be ignored. Never in the history of the Labour party has a party leader attempted to vilify and smear a Labour party colleague in such a manner, " Bree told the Sligo Champion last week. Bree boycotted Rabbitte's visit to Sligo last Thursday.

There were all smiles from Jim McGarry, a former member of Fine Gael, who is the Labour candidate at the next general election, succeeding Bree who held a Dail seat from 1992 to 1997.

The Labour leader said Sligo/North Leitrim was a "battleground constituency". It seems, however, the only battle is within his own ranks.

When old comrades fall out it tends to be a bitter affair.

What remains to be seen is if this rift ends with Bree leaving Labour to run as an independent or whether he's planning to wait in the long grass.