Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern returned to the political front line to chair a lively debate on the Lisbon Treaty.
Hundreds of students crammed into the O'Reilly Hall at University College, Dublin, on Tuesday night to hear prominent Yes and No campaigners battle it out.
Mr Ahern assumed a neutral peacekeeping position as a six-strong anti-Lisbon panel including Libertas leader Declan Ganley vied for the public vote against prominent pro-treaty politicians.
The ex-premier broke from his overseeing role just once, to urge members of the young audience to make their voices heard in the upcoming referendum.
"All of Europe and a lot of countries in the world are looking in on us on Friday. It's not often we're in that unique position," he said.
"So please, whatever you have to do on Friday, try and give a little bit of time to cast your franchise so that this country can make a democratic decision."
Despite Mr Ahern's warm reception, the biggest applause of the debate was reserved for another former taoiseach, Dr Garret Fitzgerald, who sparked standing ovations in some sections of the crowd.
"What's wrong with having more rights as citizens?" he asked the cheering students.
"What are we complaining about? It's an extraordinary treaty."
After more than two hours of debate the yes had it by an overwhelming majority and the house voted Yes to the treaty.
But No campaigner Mr Ganley insisted the vote was not an indication of how the referendum would swing.
"You're in the heart of south upper-class Dublin," he said.
"You go out to the so-called working class normal average people and you speak to them and they can't be conned.
"They've got a collective common sense and they are going to defeat this thing."
© Press Association