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FORMER FIANNA FÁIL minister Mary O’Rourke has given her verdict on Lenihan: A Legacy - a documentary aired on RTÉ last night.
The programme focused on the late finance minister Brian Lenihan, O’Rourke’s nephew.
She said watching the documentary was emotional.
“I was very nostalgic and I was filled with emotion, but I was lucky to have a family to go to and to be with them – that meant a lot to me.
“People say to me ‘How did you get so attached to him? Your nephew is your nephew’. I know that, but I worked for 16 years under the Oireachtas roof with him, so we were workmates as well as relations.”
During the course of the documentary, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern described Lenihan as “difficult”, claiming he didn’t want to knock on doors other than in Castleknock.
“The more intellectual the are, the more work they don’t want to do,” Ahern said.
O’Rourke told The Ray D’Arcy Show: “Bertie doesn’t like intellectuals, seemingly.”
Bertie was a pint man, and your local man, and I know all that life myself. But I just think that he kind of feared things. He said that Brian liked poetry and things like that, but so what? Lots of us like poetry, but you can still knock on doors.
“Bertie likes to talk and clearly he wanted to get a lot off his chest. I never minded that he didn’t promote Brian, why should he?”
O’Rourke added that Ahern was “in his own way … fine”.
Lenihan battled pancreatic cancer in the latter stage of his career, something O’Rourke said really focused him, and made him think “I’ve got to mind Ireland, my job and my health.”
I dared to hope he would live … the world lay before him.
I like to think this, he’ll be regarded as a good guy… He was a patriot as well, but I don’t expect everyone to agree with me.
Lenihan died on 10 June 2011.
Overall, O’Rourke said she and her family found the documentary to be “very positive” and “very balanced”.
“There were lots of contrarian views but, sure listen, no one’s a plaster saint and life isn’t real if you are.”
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Regardless of Lenihans legacy, I believe must people would agree that he tried to do the right thing but was hamstrung by stupidity, incompetence and barefaced lies at a time when the country could have done without it. Hardly surprising that Bertie has no time for intellectuals, he’s more a read the News of the World while sitting in a cupboard, winning a few quid on the gee gees kind of lad.
To little to late, Lenihan a lawyer was not equipped for the post he held in government. Just shows that in Irish politics it is who you know and not always what you know.
Why to little if you can go to late?
On the contrary, the late Brian Lenihan was very well equipped for any senior role in Cabinet. Most Ministers nowadays are highly qualified in some field, experienced in life’s challenges, well educated, possess excellent inter-personal and communications skills.
Maybe in the old days, friendship trumped talent at Cabinet team selection time, but not anymore.
It was a great pity such a nice and talented man of integrity was taken away so young.
All current and future politicians could take a leaf out of the late Mr. Lenihan’s book on how to behave in serving the people.
I watched it yesterday I laughed at the rogues gallery every shot of Bertie had Ray Burke as his wingman and I’m a few had the present leader of ff standing behind smilling anybody who votes for these gang is insanne.lenihaan was absolutely clueless I’m his role as minister for finance sadly.
Hahahah, remember that?
Let’s be honest…a tennis ball has more intellect that Bertie ‘Infacta’ Aherne
he was no ejit he’s living on our backs until he pops his clogs.
Bertie is from the Sepp Blatter school of ethics. He’s turned into a bitter little man in recent years.
“Bertie is from the Sepp Blatter school of ethics. He’s turned into a bitter little man in recent years.”
A bullet would not be wasted.
The little snot.
This was the snot who instigated the water tax concept that was so readily adopted by his other mates in Dail Eireann.
Anybody remember the “Bertie Bowl” plan of his to spend billions on a football stadium, to be located in Finglas West.?
https://youtu.be/ru-Kun7be6k
Bertie….What a pr*ck
Agreed
Mr Lenihan seemed like a decent man, but was clearly out of his depth as Finance Minister, as are many Irish politicians. Bertie was borderline sociopathic when it came to his legacy within FF and the country; but was clever enough to fool almost everyone from grassroots to media. The Irish political system is seriously flawed and hasn’t really changed at all since the crash.
As for who was the biggest chancer, it’s not even close, Wayne S…
He didn’t fool many in politics or many in FF.
Bertie never hid what he was or what he was at, no more that Brian Lenihan Snr did in the 80s.
Same as Brian Lenihan didn’t ask why his fathers cancer sick fund was looted by other FF’ers.
You knew but you didn’t ask or you were out.
The show is for the TV.
Civil servants and special advisors run the country ministers are only !!!!!!! Idiots
“Same as Brian Lenihan didn’t ask why his fathers cancer sick fund was looted by other FF’ers.
You knew but you didn’t ask or you were out.”
Too true.
They eat their young.
How in God’s name has Irish politics come to this low level.?
Time to organize an annual pilgrimage to St Fintan’s Graveyard in Sutton.
We all feel a need to piss on the grave of Charles J Haughey.
https://youtu.be/pifibs_q7ec
Bertie should be ashamed of himself, and should lock himself away so people cannot see or hear him.
He should have stayed in the cupboard
All that’s needed in that pic to create the perfect FF viper nest is Miriam’s brother, FF councillor Jim o Callaghan. Legal advisor to FF and barrister to Denis o Brien, Irish Water and Siteserv. Conflict of interest anyone??
@Niall
Suuusssshhh !!!
11th Commandment:
Thou shalt not speak negatively of His Royal Highness, The Emporer Denis O’Brien.
Fair point about that s(umb&g Barrister though, not enough is made of his single handed crusade to destroy society in general, and the taxpayers in particular.
One was charming on the street level with the cunning of a crap house rat.
One was charming at a dinner party level with the cunning of a lavatory rat.
Both believed the had a destiny to lead and an entitlement to be at the top.
The Irish people got flushed and they both played their part in it.
Tripe
Difficult to figure out which of them was the bigger chancer.
How can you even compare the two ?
Bertie is a repulsive liar. Lenihan wasn’t perfect but BOH was a reckless thieving cheat. He makes me sick to my stomach. He should be in jail.
Whether people like the expression or not I don’t care but Bertie more or less raped every man, woman and child in this country
His crooked dealings and back handers has this country in the state it is in today, he played the politics games to perfection, lined his pockets until they were overflowing with money then left cowen to face the music who himself was like a rabbit In the headlights hadn’t a clue what he was at
Bertie be hung for what he has done to the irish people, but it’s the same over and over with the do called irish parties being re elected time after time, when will there ever be a party were they genuinely have the interest of the people and the country at heart and are not corrupt through and through
I think it’s time for a complete reform
With politics in Ireland because what’s here at the minute does not work for the normal folk
O’Rourke defending her nephew still haven’t recovered from the mental image of her in a bath tub talking to Mick…..
That O’Rourke wagon has access to nearly every rte1 radio show except Ronan Collins, why doesn’t she just Fcuk Off she’s obsessed with the lenihan “legacy”
De de de smart ones are always askin me question dat oi don’t wa wa want ta answer about me gold bouillon and Swiss francs stuffed down me 10 year old knickers. Statement from St Bartholomew the corrupt on the intellectual elite
I reckon Mary looked well In her hay day.
I love Orla’s articles.
Why doesn’t Mary tell the truth for a change. She was inside government yet never knew any of what was going on around her. She never comes across as stupid but she does make Joe Public feel stupid with her clever comments but no home truths. She is like the brass monkeys hear no evil seen no evil and say no evil. She should be spitting feathers at Bertie but typical a politician to her core. Don’t tell Paddy anything
We all know Charlie was the grand daddy of corruption, Bertie was a very willing apprentice who also managed to screw the country and Biffo was the idiot left holding the baby. Most felt sorry for him but he is just as culpable, there is blood on the hands of many the FF government who so skilfully through stupidity and corruption to a point where so many cannot go on…..
That Ahern chap is still quite delusional it seems .
have your say