EARTH HOUR is an international event that originated in 2007 and is held on the last Saturday of March each year. Householders and businesses are asked to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness about climate change as part of the idealistic initiative.

Eamon Gilmore has been the leader of the Labour party since September 2007 and around this time each year he is given a half-hour slot on live television to share his party's message. It raises awareness and it's also an idealistic initiative.

Last night, Earth Hour and Eamon Gilmore collided. His speech started at 8.30pm. At precisely the same time, the world was meant to turn off its lights, Gilmore took to the stage in the Mullingar Park Hotel to address the nation.

As the global initiative could not be postponed, Gilmore's party engaged in a "symbolic dimming of the lights" before he commenced his address. Members were also urged throughout the day to turn off their bedroom lights in the hotel.

Another coincidence involved another Eamon. As the Gilmore broadcast began on RTÉ1, Dunphy was giving his half-time analysis of the Irish game in Croker on RTÉ2. Gilmore carried on regardless.

Bad timing seemed to be a theme of yesterday's Labour conference, if Joan Burton's speech is anything to go by. Seconds before Burton concluded her televised speech yesterday morning, as she approached the last line, she was interrupted by Waterford TD Brian O'Shea who said: "Joan can you hurry up there."

The untimely interruption, in the middle of the last sentence of her speech, did not really disrupt Burton who began it again. She was never going to stop until she finished the line: "To Fianna Fáil I say this: for Ireland's sake, just go and go as soon as possible."

T-shirts brandishing the slogan 'Gilmore for Taoiseach', that were born at the last Labour conference, featured again yesterday. There were some new arrivals – Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh. The 'Popstar' names were used on a flyer for a print company offering to print election leaflets and posters.

Labour drops five percentage points to 17% in today's Red C/Sunday Business Post poll, but news of the poll result did nothing to dampen spirits in Mullingar yesterday afternoon. Senator Alan Kelly said: "The polls still show the organic growth of the party and the momentum is still very much with us. I am confident that Labour will have one of their best ever local and European election results in June."

The party has been criticised and labelled 'populist' in some quarters for opposing measures taken by the government to rescue the economy while failing to put forward alternatives.

In his speech, Brendan Howlin refuted this. "It is not Labour's role to let Fianna Fáil 'stew in their own juice'. However attractive that proposition might seem – our country deserves and needs more. This weekend, and in the coming weeks, Labour plans for fair taxation, job protection and job creation and public services will be spelled out. And we will do more."

While Earth Hour has come and gone for another year, the record number of delegates in Mullingar yesterday believes Gilmore's hour may not be too far away.