(DUBLIN) - French President Nicholas Sarkozy won over the Irish with a Gallic charm offensive on a brief visit following Dublin's shock rejection of a key European Union treaty, press commentators said Tuesday.

"Relief as Sarkozy charms without a single faux pas," said the Independent, while the Examiner headlined its main story "Shaken and stirred by Gallic charm" and the Irish Times called the visit "constructive."

The positive coverage was in stark contrast to the days in the run up to the visit Monday, when the trip was dismissed as a "French farce".

Even the protests were deemed as muted with an estimated 1,400-1,800 turning up, and some of those were supporting Sarkozy, particularly Irish farmers who had arrived with tractors painted in the French colours.

There was only one public order incident when a 35-year-old man tried to pelt Sarkozy's car with eggs as he arrived at government buildings in the centre of the city.

However the man turned out to be a French waiter, named as Michael Audron, who has lived in Ireland for three years, according to the court press service. A judge threw out charges of "threatening, insulting and abusive behaviour" after Audron paid 150 euros (238 dollars) to charity.

Irish voters dealt a blow to the European Union last month by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty by 53 percent in the only popular vote on the text anywhere in the 27-nation bloc.

The French leader sparked outrage last week by reportedly suggesting that Ireland should vote again after the crushing rejection of the treaty in a June 12 referendum.

But Sarkozy dismissed the report during his visit. "I never said that Ireland had to organise a second referendum," he told a news conference with Prime Minister Brian Cowen.

"I did not in any way meddle in Irish domestic affairs."

The Examiner says he soothed the Irish by saying that he knows "what it feels like to be isolated" -- a reference to French voter's rejection of the forerunner to Lisbon, the Constitutional Treaty.

The paper warns that his reiteration of the fact that 26 countries still intend to press ahead "may well turn out to be an iron fist in a velvet glove".

The Irish Times praises Sarkozy for a "good day's work" and making a "worthwhile start" to finding out how the political crisis can be tackled and resolved.

"Mr Sarkozy's energetic engagement with the issues impressed the political leaders and activists he met".

Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein the only mainstream party to oppose the treaty, said a round-table meeting with Sarkozy was "useful".

"It is worth noting that Mr Sarkosy did what the Irish government have failed to, he has met with and listened" treaty opponents.

Green Party Senator Deirdre de Burca was also full of praise for Sarkozy saying she was struck by the fact he spent "a lot of the time with us winning us over and being very personable and good-humoured."

"I must say that he did appear to listen carefully to all that was said to him and to take our concerns on board. I was pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting him to be quite different," she said.

Irish Times writer Miriam Lord described Sarkozy as being "very touchy-feely" and said he had caressed the hand of Cowen, sometimes known in the press as Biffo.

"The Taoiseach (prime minister) put them (his hands) behind his back in case it happened again. Then, the French president made a lunge for Biffo and kissed him on both cheeks.

"Biffo air-kissed gamely, making a disconcerting sloshing noise, but you could see he was mortified.

"A French kiss for an Irish Taoiseach on the steps of government buildings. That's Europe for you," Lord wrote.

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