PRESSING THE FLESH Bertie Ahern meets with Michael Ring while in Westport for the Fianna Fáil National Conference in September 2006
Successes exceed his failures News Feature
Sean Rice
IT was Cathal Mac Coille on Morning Ireland who captured the essence of the man they call Bertie. The radio presenter and an American camera crew were covering an event in New York in which the Taoiseach, hob-nobbing with a host of celebrities, was the centre of attraction.
The importance of the occasion did not preclude Bertie from slipping away from an elite group to welcome the RTÉ man. And, Mac Coille recalled, the crew were astonished that in introducing himself to each one of them a prime minister could be so unpretentious.
It was the one characteristic that endeared Bertie to so many people throughout this country. He was a mixer, a man of the people, the populace. An unassuming anorak man, a guy you might meet on the street of any town and say ‘howya Bertie’.
Humble, yet undeniably talented.
The English language through which he communicated was not his strong point. You struggled to understand the muddled answers to questions from journalists and the Opposition in the Dáil. Yet as a testament to his powers of persuasion it is universally agreed that through that same medium he was adroit and skilful in completing many historic complex agreements.
His ability to intervene in deadlock situations and to hammer out contracts and settlements between unions and employers, without recourse to strikes, contributed largely to the growth of prosperity in the country.
But the greatest test of his patience and durability came with the events that led to the Good Friday Agreement, the tenth anniversary of which is being celebrated this year.
Peace in Northern Ireland is his legacy to this nation. To have managed to bring together the splintered warring factions of Unionism and Republicanism in a spirit of peace and goodwill, and as a consequence to have spared God knows how many lives, will forever rank as an event unparalleled in the history of the two parts of this island. For his role in that achievement he became the first taoiseach to address the British Parliament.
Others contributed to that success, none more zealously than the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The dedication and the skill of the two – one magnificently eloquent, the other equally calm and trustworthy – were paramount in concluding the historic agreement. The significance of their exhaustive work in bridging so many divides cannot be overestimated. That historic handshake between Bertie and First Minister Dr Ian Paisley – who regarded the Taoiseach as an honourable man – is forever fixed in the memory of those who watched.
“Few people have given as much of their time and energy to the peace process
as Bertie Ahern,” said Martin McGuinness. “A remarkable man with a remarkable record of achievement,” is how Tony Blair described Bertie. He was a leader ‘for whom I had the greatest respect, admiration and friendship’.
Bertie has also presided over the biggest economic boom in the history of this country. In a tribute to his stewardship, Paul Tansey in the Irish Times said if Ahern did not create the boom, he nurtured it carefully and often politically. “Despite his often hesitant delivery in public, Ahern possesses the keenest economic brain in the Cabinet and can sniff the way economic winds are blowing faster than most.”
His resignation was not unexpected, even if the date of the announcement was a surprise. In the face of conflicting statements to the Tribunal about his finances he has been forced to throw in the towel earlier than intended. He has denied any wrong-doing, denied vehemently that he is in any way corrupt. But to many he has been shadowboxing with the Tribunal and because he has not clarified his financial maze a blemish hangs over an otherwise impeccable career until, at least, the Tribunal produces its report.
Bertie has been the longest serving leader of Fianna Fáil since the reign of the founder of the party Eamon deValera. He has been longer at the helm than Seán Lemass, Jack Lynch, Charlie Haughey or Albert Reynolds. Maybe he had been there too long. Maybe the old charm was no longer exciting people. Maybe if it were not the Tribunal, some other justification for replacing him would have been found.
Still, his is a distinguished career. His success exceeds his failures by a mile. He is an achiever, a leader of rare qualities. As Mary Harney pointed out, he has been almost a 24/7 politician. In the hearts of most of the people of this country he will have a place of honour notwithstanding his Tribunal travails.
One of the penalties listed in a collection of laws drawn up by Hammurabi, the ruler of an ancient empire of which Babylon was the capital, was trial by water because it was believed that running water (a god of justice) could distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. When an outright decision could not be reached in court, the accused could be thrown into a river. If he sank, his guilt was proved; if he floated he was innocent.
If that law were applied to Bertie, I think he would float.
Bertie’s resignation ripples flow west
Three people connected with politics in Mayo assess Ahern’s departure and Cowen’s arrival Áine Ryan ONE Mayo woman was left in a state of utter confusion when she turned on her car radio at 5.30pm last Wednesday evening and was bombarded with a litany of eulogies to Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. What happened? Surely he wasn’t dead. A man of 56, in the prime of life.
As the chorus of compliments and the paeans of praise enveloped the airwaves, the penny slowly dropped that Bertie had simply resigned and not expired. Belmullet community activist, Rose Conway-Walsh had spent the day at a closed meeting in Castlebar, totally missing out on the political bombshell that set the country alight shortly after 9.30am that morning.
She wasn’t surprised though at the news. After all, in her view, he had been steering a political kamikaze course for months.
“I was expecting him to resign after he addressed the American Congress [on April 30]. It was ironic that it was his secretary’s evidence [Gráinne Carruth] – a woman who was being paid £60 a week – that ultimately caused his undoing,” mused Ms Conway-Walsh.
She told The Mayo News that while she didn’t agree with ‘an awful lot of his social policies’, she still felt a sadness for Bertie ‘as a human being’. He always played ‘the ordinary bloke card well’ and used it ‘very much to his advantage’, she observed.
“I believe, in most cases, his intentions would have been honourable and he may not have always realised the impact of the policies he rubber-stamped. After all, he is ultimately responsible for the health services debacle,” she said.
She argued that Bertie, ‘by his own definition’, after the McCracken Tribunal, was ‘corrupt’. Back in 1997, endorsing the McCracken findings, he told the Dáil: “The tribunal stresses a point I have repeatedly emphasised, that public representatives must not be under a personal financial obligation to anyone.”
Conway-Walsh also believes that the end of the Bertie era will have implications for the future of the Fianna Fáil party in Mayo. However, she declined to comment specifically about the impact it may have on the two dynasties presently represented in the Dáil – Calleary and Flynn.
Looking towards the future, she was emphatic, however, that he has no place in Áras an Uachtaráin.
“I think he’ll go into private business. Based on what’s come out of the Mahon Tribunal so far, it would not be fitting for him to even consider such a position,” she continued.
On the other hand, Castlebar councillor, Michael Kilcoyne, was more sympathetic about the country’s second longest-serving Taoiseach.
“I suppose he did the right thing to resign. Nobody should have to put up with that pressure. I mean, what is this tribunal meant to be about? I don’t think Ahern was ever involved in planning matters. What is the outcome going to be at the end of the day?” asked Mr Kilcoyne.
While he believes that Bertie Ahern was sometimes simply a lucky politician – often in the right place, at the right time – he also had other key characteristics and ‘made his own luck’.
However, Cllr Kilcoyne also defended his legacy by quoting from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”
“Certainly, he was very good at managing people and issues. Albert Reynolds might have started the peace process but he stuck with it and pursued it. And there is no doubt that ‘partnership’ brought about this country’s prosperity. He was very good at knocking heads together,” said Michael Kilcoyne.
Regarding County Mayo’s future prospects under Brian Cowen as new leader, the Independent councillor was downbeat.
“I’m not sure if the situation can get much worse than it has been. In fact, I’m not sure that Cowen is right for the job. Look at the health services in Tullamore [in his constituency]. When he was Minister for Health he called the department ‘Angola’; if he couldn’t look after his own constituency then, how will he manage all the portfolios?” he continued.
For five years, every Wednesday morning, former Independent TD, Dr Jerry Cowley (below) had a quick bit of banter with the Taoiseach. As Bertie left the Dáil chamber after leaders’ questions, Dr Cowley was taking his place as an assistant Ceann Comhairle and they would pass each other in a private corridor. “How’s it goin’ Doc?” was the Teflon Taoiseach’s usual refrain.
“He was always so affable and in the last few days I haven’t met one person that was bitter towards him. While they agreed his downfall was his own fault, there is massive sympathy for him,” said Dr Cowley.
Shortly after Dr Cowley was elected in 2002, he received a visit from a senior Cabinet minister who asked would he support the new minority government. Cowley proceeded to compile a list of demands for Mayo but a major condition emerged: no deal unless he joined the party. He declined.
“I’ve no regrets about that. I know my issues would have been sidelined. Bertie Ahern never really did anything for the west whereas Brain Cowen might, he is one of the most impressive people in Fianna Fáil.”
Dr Cowley believes that his retirement should herald the end of his public life. There is no place for him in the Áras, he told The Mayo News.
“Bertie lived totally in a culture of corruption. Bertie became a liability to the party. Cowen will have to leave all that behind now,” he concluded.
Bertie hangs up his boots but doesn’t throw in the towel SKETCH
Áine Ryan IN the end, it was that white elephant and all those red herrings that got the Teflon Taoiseach. And, in fairness to waffler Gay Mitchell, he should be allowed a smirk or even a chuckle about the fact that all Bertie’s own waffling might have got him by in the Dáil chamber, b....bu...but it was nothing more than hot air for barrister, Des O’Neill and Tribunal Chairman, Alan Mahon. Seeing through smokescreens and putting both the dirty linen and clean linen on the table are their forte. And that’s the thruth.
When Bertie asked Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore last year: ‘Are you deaf as well as stupid?’, maybe, he should have asked himself the same question. At least then, he could have avoided further upsetting the apple tart by hanging a decent woman out to dry in Dublin Castle.
At least now there will be time to relax and climb all those trees again in north Dublin in search of all sorts of elusive things: his memory, his Holy Communion money, the ghosts of Charles Haughey, Ray Burke, Liam Lawlor.
At least now his constituents in Drumcondra will no longer be belingered by pesky paparazzi asking awkward questions as they go about their daily chores. At last, he’ll be left in peace to sip his pint of plain – Bass, it’s your only man – at Fagan’s counter.
He can also fulfil his dream of being a true socialist – unlike that nitwit, that failed person of a Joe Higgins – and give the garden at Beresford a good dig-out, instead of just admiring the hanging-baskets.
At least now, that the boom times are not getting even more boomer, he can settle into the depression and know that, with his big, fat pension, he’ll never have to call on the Manchester martyrs again – not that he was ever beholden to them. Now himself and Paddy the Plasterer will be able to go to a match in Croker just like two ordinary blokes; yeah, ordinary, what he was always. (Well except for the yellow suit phase. But that was Larkin at her colour-me-beautiful mallarkey)
In the coming days, weeks and months, there’ll be more time to talk to Jay and Rocco; to read Cecelia’s books; to listen to Westlife’s songs. Maybe, he could even take out that Mayo midget and become their manager. Become a cultural connoisseur like the Squire. Look how he transformed Temple Bar into Ireland’s West Bank!
The views of the public Emer Gallagher and Anton McNulty took to the streets of Westport and Ballina to gauge reaction to the end of the Bertie Ahern era “I thought he was a very good taoiseach who did a lot for the country and will be sadly missed. He was a people’s person and he mixed well with the crowd. He had his good points and his bad points, like everyone else, but at the end of the day he was good. I hope we find a good replacement for him.”
Kathleen Keane “I thought he was an excellent taoiseach because for years in this country people took an adversarial approach to politics where one tried to beat the other. Bertie’s attitude was to try to slice the cake up and make people feel they were well looked after. I think he did that extremely well and I think he will be missed.”
Pat Dunne “He was a brilliant taoiseach and it is a shame he had to go the way he did. The main reason he went was because the media and the Opposition hounded him like they did. His will be hard shoes to fill but it looks like Cowen will get it.”
Martin Vahey “He was very good with people and he knew how to relate to people. I am not sure if he was a good politician but he was a good people’s person. I think so many people were so fond of him and he was in government for so long that he will be missed.”
Rebecca McKeon “He was very good at keeping people onside and keeping people together, but I do feel he did the right thing when he resigned. It was going to drag on and on and there was no getting away with it. He had reached a rather tricky situation and I think it was the right thing to do.”
Natalie DeRoiste “He was the best taoiseach that I can remember and, for me, was the best for the country. He achieved the most in the term he was in and getting peace was by far his number one success. He did a lot more good things than bad things and the majority of people I feel will look back at the good things.”
Noel Morrin “I think in the end Bertie Ahern had no choice but to step down. I also think that in the end he will be remembered more for bad things than good things.”
Leo Higgins “It’s sad the way he had to step down like he did. You have to ask was he for the greater good or not and I think he was for the greater good. He did a lot for the country, especially in regard to peace in the North. He achieved a lot and to have to step down over a few pound here and there is unfair. I think he should have run his term and he was doing a great job. The Opposition were preying on this and they were keeping it in the media. I think he’ll be remembered for the good work he did. He did more good than bad at the end of the day.”
Gerry Connor “I think it was time he took the decision to step down. However, I think he was pushed and I think there was a lot of pressure on him to go. It’s hard to know how he will be remembered as yet because the Tribunal isn’t over. Possibly as another corrupt politician. Possibly as just another taoiseach.”
John Reilly “I think, logically, he had to step down because his position was untenable. I think there was a little bit of skull-duggery behind what was going on. But that left him in a position where he couldn’t hold onto power for much longer. I think he will be remembered in a very positive way because it’s part of the Irish psyche to forgive an awful lot of things so perhaps in five years’ time this will be forgotten about.”
Pat Hegarty “I think he’ll be sorely missed but I think he’ll be remembered in a positive light. All this, was going on when the election went on and he still got in. It was the people who voted him in.”
Martina Clarke Pics: John O’Grady, Conor McKeown
