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YESTERDAY IT EMERGED that former Taoiseach Brian Cowen is in California to complete a €47,000 six-week course at Stanford University.
The course is “designed to equip senior executives with the knowledge, relationships and tools necessary to drive results at the highest level of global management”.
It got us thinking… what are the other surviving former taoisigh – Liam Cosgrave, John Bruton, Albert Reynolds, Bertie Ahern – up to these days? And how have they been getting on since they were the leaders of the country?
All images: Photocall Ireland/Julian Behal/Niall Carson/PA Wire
The last two should be in jail with some bankers
There are 3 there that should never be allowed see the light of day again and John Bruton should be ordered not to laugh in public anymore. Reynolds, has his blackmarks but they aren’t as big or as toxic as the others and he pursued peace under great attack from the likes of FG and the media.
Maybe he is going to be running new water or organ form to rob the Irish people again that way. That low life traitor got away with murder and FG/Lab can’t even say they were drunk at the time. Liars and thiefs how can richest land in europe be bankrupt by bad government and bankers
Who drove the Northern Ireland peace process in the 90s? It was John Hume, not Albert Reynolds, Bertie Ahern or Gerry Adams.
John Hume didn’t drive the peace process in reality. It had to be the main driving forces in the conflict, London, Dublin, the Republican Movement and Loyalists para’s and Unionist pol’s.
Hume played an important role but it was as a contact and ice breaker to Dublin and London.
It was Mo Mowlam MP that put every ounce of her being into the peace process.
It was her that got all of them around the table talking. Yes, they came to the table, but it was her deplomacy and straight talking that did it. John Hume did play a huge part in it and unfortunately he’s suffering from Alzheimer’s also.
@ Paul
Fagan is correct. Hume/SDLP didn’t have much of a constituency, as has now become very clear. They get a lower share of the vote than the ULA do in the south.
A bit late in the day for Cowen I would think.
Two shocks
Oh, please… Not before breakfast…
They all have bloody big pensions and all are working and being paid in some capacity. As long as you are receiving a wage you should not be allowed draw down on your pension. Total bullshit.
In fairness, I doubt Reynolds is working… he’s suffering from Alzheimher’s Disease.
He has been a business man his whole life…extremely wealthy and he gets €150,000 a year….disgraceful…..you should get your pension like everyone else at 65 and it should capped at €50,000 or lower..the country is broke!!! This nonsense of being in your forties and fifties and getting a €100,000+ a year!!! Most get a million euro or more by the time they even hit 65 and another million or two by the time they kick the bucket.. people like Mary Harney, Martin Cullen, Mary Coughlan, Willie O Dea, Michael McDowell,Noel Dempsey,Dermot Ahern,John Gormley etc etc etc etc (the list goes on and on!)..People who wrecked the country are getting rewarded!!FOR WHAT??The country is BROKE!!!
Suffering is something the less well off do Patrick. Terrible illness but I doubt he is suffering like my grandfather did. Money hungry bastards.
Oh gawd, that picture of Bertie Ahern. It’s all in his face really. You wouldn’t trust him to fix your fridge let alone run your country.
Training to run Irish water and charge the suckers for free stuff
Bahama’s with all their stolen millions, who gives a Shi* they should be in jail
Incredible pensions coupled with other incomes.The level of greed is staggering. What kind of society do we live in when the most avaricious people are the most rewarded.
A shower of bastards the lot of em
Liam Cosgrave is in his 90s yet you often see him walking around near where I live. Fair play to him!
Why wouldn’t he be? I’m sure €150,000 a year buys you some nice healthcare… I’m not begrudging the man his longevity but I know of many 70 and 80 year olds who wont even make it to 90 because they cant afford light, heat, a decent diet and certainly don’t have any medical insurance!!One little 90 year old man getting all that money is plain wrong…..
Without commenting on the abilities or personalities of any particular former Taoiseach do the people who have posted here realise that each of these men were elected and in some cases twice re-elected by substantial numbers of the Irish electorate. Do any of you target one bit of invective at them for being primarily responsible specifically for electing Bertie three times in his career. nI would suggest that most of you belong to some sort of a political life yourselves at the lower levels and alienating members of the public rather than telling the truth could be damaging to your goals in many cases. The Electorate new exactly what they were GETTIN from Bertie and DEY wanted it. Just like the hundreds of thousands who had bogus non resident accounts. Corruption in this great little country is pretty common…tax cheats…social welfare cheats…sick leave cheats…black economy cheats…etc etc.
The two faces say it all….. aherne and Renolds.
I would have thought they were down in the Costa del Sol!
@justsaying,
No, overrun with other gangsters! ;)
The way there on big pensions and they ruined the country!!!!
And yet people on the dole are called scroungers, its the same in Britain!!!
Fantastic bunch of people. All great leaders in their own right.
So was Indy , until he got the power
have your say