Ireland's most infamous trophy has been left abandoned in Leinster House.
The Irish Mirror has uncovered the official Golfgate trophy that caused a political earthquake in August.
It is lying unclaimed on the Leinster House site after it was played for during the Oireachtas Golf Society’s controversial outing in Clifden, Co Galway, this year.
The exclusive pictures seen by the Irish Mirror show the shiny trophy in shabby, unloved, surroundings.
It appears to be a tall silver trophy, on what looks like a red marble base.
It bears a silver plate with the inscription Oireachtas Presidents Prize.
However, it appears that nobody wants to have the cup on their mantlepiece for the rest of the year.
EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary both had to resign in the fallout from the scandal that became known as 'Golfgate'.
The scandal erupted when the Oireachtas Golf Society headed to Connemara Golf Club’s championship links for a couple of days’ on the fairways in August.
There were actually two days of golf played, with the Captain’s Prize also played that week because the society was rolling two events into one because of Covid.
The country was then left shocked and angry when it emerged there was a dinner to celebrate the golf days in the Station House Hotel in Clifden on August 19.
There was a public outcry because 81 people attended this dinner on the day after the Government – including Mr Calleary – told the country Covid restrictions were being tightened again.
It resulted in Commissioner Hogan and Minister Calleary losing their jobs, while the Chief Justice, Frank Clarke, called for the new Supreme Court judge, former Attorney General, Seamus Woulfe, to resign.
Mr Woulfe has refused to resign and has survived calls for his impeachment while Taoiseach Micheal Martin refused to sack him.
