If the Sinn Féin leadership were feeling the heat of the sustained political pressure they've been under for the past couple of weeks, it was certainly not evident at Friday night's event in Dublin's Mansion House.
Republicans from throughout the country gathered to mark the official beginning of Sinn Féin's centenary year and to present a united front in the face of the recent Northern Bank accusations and the subsequent threatened sanctions.
This was the first time Sinn Féin had returned to the Mansion House since they were barred from holding their Ard Fheis in the famous venue in 1992.
The Mansion House was where Sinn Féin convened the first Dáil Éireann in January 1919, and with such historic associations it was somewhat appropriate that the building was chosen for Friday's launch. In many ways Sinn Féin's relationship with the Mansion House is generally symbolic of the party's 100-year history: from the high water mark of establishing a separatist, all-Ireland parliament there to having the doors bolted on them during a period of assassinations and state censorship.
Judging by Friday's performance, Sinn Féin are somewhere in between these two positions – they are clearly a party in preparation for taking power but they still have a range of formidable political opponents lined up against them.
The keynote address delivered by party President Gerry Adams was held up due to the late arrival of the guests of honour – seven veteran female republicans from West Belfast, among them Bridget Hannon and Annie Cahill (wife of the late Joe). The focus on women activists was a recurring theme during the night and is a stated priority for the year's events.
When it came, Adams' speech covered a range of topics, including the peace process, reunification, youth and the Irish language.
"This year is about Sinn Féin taking more decisive steps forward toward our goal of a united, free and independent Ireland," he said.
"Later this year we will be launching a campaign for the Irish government to bring forward a green paper [discussion document] on Irish unity.
"We must use our present mandate as a launching pad to grow an island-wide, nation-wide mass Sinn Féin movement.
"We should also use this year to redouble our efforts in pursuit of the reinvigoration and popularisation of the Irish language. If we do that bit extra, we can put Ireland on the road to becoming a truly bilingual nation."
Touching on the current state of the peace process, Adams said, "Our political opponents, and even those who should be our allies in the struggle for Irish freedom and peace, fear our growing electoral strength.
"For our part, we will continue to reach out the hand of friendship to unionism, while making the strongest possible case that the ending of the union is in the interests of all of the Irish people."
There was also an appeal for the broadening of the republican camp.
"It is amazing to watch the feverish efforts of parties in this part of the island rushing to claim their republican and Sinn Féin roots while attacking and condemning us.
"We have no fear of that – if Labour and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and the rest want to be republican, then Sinn Féin welcomes that."
In a defiant speech, Mr Adams also claimed that Sinn Féin's opponents "haven't seen anything yet" when it came to the party's growing electoral strength throughout the island. He said it was his intention to see a Sinn Féin cumann spring up in every electoral ward in the country.
Returning to the evening's central theme, six novice performers re-enacted key moments in 20th century republican history, including the writings of James Connolly, Máire Drumm and Bobby Sands, while historic images from a turbulent 100 years flashed on a screen.
Also on the podium were former Director of Féile an Phobail and chief organiser of 'SF100', Caitriona Ruane, and newly elected MEP for Dublin Mary Lou McDonald. One surprise guest was former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds who clearly wasn't fazed by the criticism he received for attending the funeral of veteran republican Joe Cahill last year.
For Sinn Féin, Friday was a launchpad for a whole year of events to mark the centenary, with celebrations continuing up until February 2006. Belfast will feature prominently with a celebration of ethnic diversity in March and a conference dealing with national reconciliation in September.
There will also be a youth conference in Derry, a women's conference in Newry, a national rally in Dublin and a lecture tour in the spring. An international dimension is also key, with plans to mark the anniversary in Britain, Europe, the USA, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.
