Accusing both men of seeking to do him in, the former European Commissioner for Trade has said they fell victim to a “populist wave of indignation” which has proven to be “completely wrong”.

Saying both men essentially poisoned the well with his boss, president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Mr Hogan seeks to make clear that he was a good man done wrong.

The irony of Mr O’Rourke being the one to interview him on this particular subject should not be lost on anyone, given his own presence at the event, for which he too has expressed regret.

Mr Hogan is well known for not lacking self-belief or any sense of confidence. But his latest volte-face is merely staggering.

The latest bout of gross and self-delusional revisionism by Mr Hogan is totally at odds with his own expressions of remorse and apology issued at the time.

It is apt for me to counter a narrative that those who suffered in the fallout were wrongly hanged, drawn, and quartered by some out-of-control mob.

The truth is that by the time he came to resign, just over a week after the Oireachtas Golf Society event in Clifden, Mr Hogan’s difficulties were less to do with Golfgate but more to do with his ever-changing story around his wider movements across Ireland at a time of severe lockdown.

This narrative ultimately led to a loss of confidence in him from President von der Leyen.

Bottom line — Phil Hogan was the master of his own downfall. No one else.

Mr Hogan himself said as much in a statement released on Sunday, August 23, 2020, three days after Dara Calleary resigned from his position as minister for agriculture.

'I am extremely sorry'

"I wish to apologise fully and unreservedly for attending the Oireachtas golf society dinner on Wednesday night last," said Mr Hogan. 

"I want, in particular, to apologise to the wonderful healthcare workers, who continue to put their lives on the line to combat Covid-19 and all people who have lost loved ones during this pandemic.

“I acknowledge my actions have touched a nerve for the people of Ireland, something for which I am profoundly sorry. I realise fully the unnecessary stress, risk and offence caused to the people of Ireland by my attendance at such an event, at such a difficult time for all, and I am extremely sorry for this,” he added.

"I acknowledge that the issue is far bigger than compliance with rules and regulations and adherence to legalities and procedures. All of us must display solidarity as we try to stamp out this common plague.

"I thus offer this fulsome and profound apology, at this difficult time for all people, as the world as a whole combats Covid-19."

'I was wrong'

Just days later, in a TV interview with RTÉ's Tony Connolly on August 25, 2020, Mr Hogan reiterated much of this.

“The bottom line is, I made a mistake, I should not have been there,” he said. “In hindsight, I was wrong, I made a mistake, and I should not have gone.

"When I think of all of the people who cancelled weddings or who lost loved ones, a gathering of a number like that in any particular venue at the moment is wrong and I made a mistake."

Specifically pressed by Mr Connolly that it appeared he was seeking to shift the blame onto others, Mr Hogan insisted: “No, it wasn’t appropriate for me to be attending, and I made a big mistake by doing that, it was a very big embarrassment and I apologise for doing so.” 

On August 26, 2020, he resigned from his position as EU trade commissioner.

So based on this interview, does Hogan now regret all those apologies and expressions of regret? Does he withdraw them?

Was he not telling the truth when he said them or was he merely saying them for some political advantage?

Mr Hogan has ruled out a return to domestic Irish politics, but did hold out the prospect of some “international” role in the future, once he has time for it.

Clearly, still in tune with his own sense of self-importance, Mr Hogan’s inability to see how delusional his stance is breathtaking.