Calleary remembers ‘brave’ Brian

‘Brian was hit with everything possible during his tenure’


Dara Calleary remembers ‘brave’ former Finance Minister

Trevor Quinn

“One hell of a brave man and a man of absolute integrity” is how Fianna FΡil spokesperson on Justice Dara Calleary TD said he will remember the late Deputy Leader and Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, who sadly lost his battle against pancreatic cancer on Friday last.
Calleary first met the talented academic and barrister more than 20 years ago when the young Ballina man was canvassing in Dublin for Brian Lenihan Senior. With similar interests in law, justice and politics, a friendship soon developed between the two party colleagues.
“He was a friend, a colleague and a mentor” Deputy Calleary told The Mayo News as he reflected on what he described as “a very sad day for the Fianna FΡil party.”
Deputy Calleary said he spoke with Brian Lenihan just three weeks ago and he was in ‘wonderful form’. “To observe him you could see he wasn’t well, but he was in great form and his interaction was bang on.”
Speaking about how Lenihan was the only Fianna FΡil member to retain his seat in Dublin West last March, Calleary said his popularity and work-ethic in the constituency was justly recognised. “He was incredibly well got in his constituency. He worked hard at both a national and a local level and the people appreciated that … At a time when many people who weren’t ill were riding off in to the sunset he was determined to fight hard and fight on, and that showed the type of guy that he was.”
Brian Lenihan once famously observed that he had the ‘misfortune’ to take up the post as Minister for Finance at the tail-end of the building boom. Calleary said Lenihan was deeply honoured to be given the role and worked tirelessly to reverse the imploding fiscal chaos that followed his appointment.
“It’s always an honour to be named a minister. Brian was hit with everything possible during his tenure. He faced unprecedented challenges and he met them head on.” When questioned the legacy of Brian Lenihan, Calleary said, “It is up to history to decide on that. I think that given the circumstances, he performed admirably.
“No Fianna FΡil minister has ever had to face the crisis that he faced. First there was the fiscal crisis, the banking crisis soon followed, and then there was a whole lack of information from the banks who were evading reality and he had to deal with all of that.”
In 2002 there was an expectation that Brian Lenihan would be promoted to cabinet under then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, but he had to make do with being named Minister of State for Children. Calleary said there was surprise within the party that this didn’t happen. “Yes, he should have been promoted in 2002. I remember at the time there was a lot of comment about it. There was an expectation that he would have been in cabinet.”
Calleary continued: “You are talking about one of the biggest intellects in the country. He had an unbelievable grasp of everything in an academic and a political sense, but he was by no means just gifted in that department, he was also a great communicator.
“He will be remembered for his ability, his braveness and his courage … That he completely put the country before his own personal interests is testament to the man. Most people would have said ‘my illness is worsening’ and taken a back seat, but as far as he was concerned he had a job to do.”