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Former Irish Prime Minister Garret Fitzgerald gravely ill

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, May 6, 2011, 8:15 AM

Updated Friday, May 6, 2011, 10:27 AM

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Former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Garret Fitzgerald

Former Irish Prime Minister Dr Garret Fitzgerald is gravely ill at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

Current Irish leader Enda Kenny has sent his best wishes to his Fine Gael colleague from New York.

The 85-year-old Fitzgerald was taken to the Dublin city centre hospital earlier this week after falling ill and is currently on a ventilator.

He is surrounded by his family as doctors treat the man who was twice Irish Prime Minister in the 1980s.

“I’m aware that he is in hospital and on a ventilator and I know that his family has been called to his side,” said Kenny in New York.

“I say a prayer for his health and well-being. I hope that he makes it through. He’s an Irish institution that we don’t deserve to lose at this stage.”

Dr Fitzgerald maintained a high public profile after his final term in office as leader of the Fine Gael-Labor coalition in 1987.

John Bruton, another former Prime Minister, also wished him well.

“I think everybody who knows him is praying that he will make a recovery. He’s a tremendous asset to the country,” said Bruton.

A spokeswoman for Dr FitzGerald confirmed that he was being treated in hospital and said that medical staff were carrying out tests to diagnose the cause of the illness.

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8 Comments

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DanOLoingsigh | May 07, 2011, 04:27 PM EDT

So ‘Brain-dead knee’ has opinions that cannot be challenged? A hallmark of a ‘fascist’ approach to debate, which I shall happily ignore. BDKnee is careful not to specify any of his accusations re the FG – Labour coalition he refers to. He also omits the record of GF as Taoiseach in the next decade. His crass insensitivity at a time like this is sadly typical….

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WoundedKnee | May 07, 2011, 03:38 PM EDT

Sparklet: Be careful about reading Irish history. Most historians in Ireland are enthusiastic supporters of the status quo. There's no such thing as investigative history over there. It's quite likely that the well-fed tame cat Irish historians will feed you similar mush to what the fool OLoingsick has tried to peddle here.

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WoundedKnee | May 07, 2011, 03:35 PM EDT

OLoingsigh -- I've noticed you previously as a poster who knows nothing about Irish history but whose arrogance never hides his ignorance. You appear to know nothing about the period I referred to, the 1970s in Ireland, specifically 1973-77, when Fitzgerald was in the government. Utter fools like you should read up about a topic before excreting your silly nonsense on this site. Go away and learn something, you idiot, before you dare enter into a dialog with people who know more than you ever will. As to my earlier post, I repeat, and imbeciles like OLoingsigh don't get to challenge this opinion, because they know nothing--Fitzgerald was an enthusiastic member of the nearest thing to a fascist government that the South of Ireland has ever seen. He has never said Sorry for the vile actions undertaken by that regime.

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DanOLoingsigh | May 07, 2011, 03:20 PM EDT

What a crass, ungracious but sadly typical post by ‘Brain-dead knee’ on Garret FitzGerald. GF who is gravely ill was IMO an honest man, with a ‘non-tribal’ approach to politics, unlike his contemporary CJH.

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Sparklet | May 06, 2011, 01:04 PM EDT

WoundedKnee, you have inspired me to read up on Mr Fitzgerald.

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WoundedKnee | May 06, 2011, 12:35 PM EDT

He has the image of a harmless eccentric, but those who know modern Irish history know that he was a member of the neo-fascist Irish government of the 1970s, which committed appalling human rights abuses. To my knowledge, he has never apologized for his actions during those dark days.

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Sparklet | May 06, 2011, 12:09 PM EDT

I don't remember him much, but he always seemed to be a gentleman.

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LoyalCitizen | May 06, 2011, 10:41 AM EDT

He is a leech like all Irish Politicians.

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