In my previous post I wrote about how much respect and affection I had for Garret FitzGerald and how privileged I was to spend some time with him during the first Lisbon Treaty campaign. I am so sad at his passing and can only imagine the pain of his family at this time.
The Garret ‘brand’ shouldn’t have worked – he was an intellectual and part of the south Dublin ‘elite’, neither of which are known to be features in politicians which endear them to the Irish voter. However the respect and affection he garnered in every section of society was huge and genuine. It was a respectful reverence that was in marked contrast to the loyalty instilled through fear that existed amongst supporters of his great political rival, Charles Haughey.
While commentators today have mainly tip-toed around it, there is an irony that despite the affection the public held for him – and despite him having real and significant achievements as Minister for Foreign Affairs – Garret was not particularly successful as Taoiseach, particularly in his management of the economy.
I read his second autobiography, Just Garret, during the Christmas break last year and it gave me a different perspective on his time as Taoiseach. While Garret himself was his own greatest critic regarding his tenure, I was stuck by the fact that he felt it essential to keep his coalition of Fine Gael and Labour together, not to maintain himself in power but to ensure that Charlie Haughey did not get back into the Taoiseach’s office. Knowing what we know now about Haughey, that was a great national service in itself.
By the country that he served his entire adult life, he will be missed, as he was loved: greatly. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.
