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Former Irish leader made all decisions in a pub as economy collapsed

New book highlights drinking culture around Brian Cowen as crisis mounted

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, October 23, 2011, 7:42 AM

Updated Sunday, October 23, 2011, 7:42 AM

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Brian Cowen with a pint of Guinness

Former Fianna Fail Minister Mary O’Rourke has accused Brian Cowen of leading Ireland from the bar stool as the Celtic Tiger economy collapsed.

O’Rourke is amongst those to claim that Cowen made all his crucial decisions in the bar of the Irish parliament in a new book on the collapse of Fianna Fail as the country’s biggest party.

Several Fianna Fail sources also say in the book that Cowen made many decisions "on the hoof" in the bar at Leinster House, surrounded by party lackeys happy to keep him supplied with alcohol.

Finance Minister Lenihan refused to be part of the Dail Bar set, a stance that led to a serious rift with Cowen as the economy collapsed.

Clueless Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen handled Irish economy like 'drunken joyriders'

Finance Minister Noonan attacks Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen for bankrupting Ireland, Inc.

The book also makes reference to claims that Cowen’s disastrous final cabinet reshuffle was carried out "within the sanctuary of the Dail (parliament) bar."

Written by journalists Bruce Arnold and Jason O’Toole, ‘Fianna Fail, The End of the Party’ also claims that Cowen was surrounded by "drinking buddies" in the parliament building bar who would "fetch him pints and fill him up."

Senior sources within the Fianna Fail movement revealed that Lenihan’s career was "stymied by the fact that he was not part of the infamous bar lobby - he didn’t buy pints for Brian Cowen."

The authors say that the relationship between Cowen and Lenihan soured as the economy collapsed and the hard drinking culture took over the Fianna Fail hierarchy.

They also write that the decision makers would retire to a small cottage at the government owned Farmleigh Estate "to have some more pints after last orders at the Dail bar."

Ministers are also quoted in the book as saying of Cowen "Jesus... he certainly drank an awful lot. Everybody thought that when he became Taoiseach he’d stop, but he actually didn’t." Other ministers rejected the claim.

O’Rourke, Lenihan’s aunt, also commented on Cowen’s drinking. “I don’t think Cowen went on benders, I just think he drank steadily - not during the day, no, no, no, in the evening time when he’d be finished in the Dail.”

The book also states that Lenihan urged Cowen to call a general election in September 2010 because he feared Ireland was going to be bullied into accepting a bailout. Cowen told Lenihan: “Not to worry we will muddle through.” Just weeks later the IMF loan was forced on the FF led government.

The book also outlines Lenihan’s battle with cancer as his relationship with Cowen deteriorated.

Nster.com

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abhainn | Oct 30, 2011, 02:54 PM EDT

It is obvious in the photograph accompanying this article that Brian Cowen is drinking for the camera because the pint of stout has not been given time to settle properly before drinking. The top half of the pint is beige instead of black. This is an elementary stout drinking error that is rarely committed in Ireland by even the most anxiously thirsty drinker who always waits for the stout to settle.

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Collette2 | Oct 25, 2011, 12:44 PM EDT

Condaleesa Rice went shopping for new shoes while hurricane Katrina took thousands of lives across seven state of America.

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gobdawpaddy | Oct 25, 2011, 06:10 AM EDT

All part of the incompetence and gombeenism that permeated contemporary Fianna Fail. Until about two and a half years ago one would encounter Fianna Fail supporters who would claim that Bertie was 'the greatest taoiseach ever' and all the problems that Ireland is facing at the moment would not have happened if he had still been in office. Of course in his own dillusional little mind, he still believes that. One would expect better from someone who claims to have attended the prestigous LSE and of course UCD. When Bertie was taoiseach, any visitor of note to the country had to pay homage in Fagans. In what other country would the majority of the adult population be aware of the name of their prime minister's local ? All part of the gobdawism.

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thesavageirish | Oct 24, 2011, 06:23 PM EDT

Actually Liam twas Nero who fiddled. But if you like, twas the media riddled, while the bar lobby dribbled and government diddled as Brian got piddled in the middle of all!

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sirpeter | Oct 24, 2011, 02:27 PM EDT

Stupid article.So it was the fact Cowen drank at night ruined the country.FF will have to do better than that.The old excuse blame the drink.Do they think we are stupid.It's big business runs governments and brings hardship to the vunerable and they are fully sober at all times.The only thing they are drunk on is greed when they are hatching their plans.Both governments FF & FG did a great job.A great job for the EU big wigs.All those damned treaties.****Vote Yes For Europe~Vote Yes For Jobs***.The people who voted Yes to all these treaties were the ones drunk.

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Liamkeyes | Oct 24, 2011, 01:47 PM EDT

I wholeheartedly agree with Borderboy, it's very obvious from the picture that the Pint had not settled. If he could'nt figure when a Pint has settled,how was he expected to run the country, of course Fianna Fail had it's share of Coat Holders and Yes Men. Julius Caesar played the Fiddle while Rome Burned, Brian Cowens drank "Unsettled Pints of Guinness" while Ireland was on the road to ruin.

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Borderboy | Oct 24, 2011, 10:02 AM EDT

Anyone who would drink a pint of stout before it has settled properly (as shown in your photo) was incapable of sober second thought. And as also illustrated, there was always a coterie of yes men to smile in admiration and approve.

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esatdigiwank | Oct 24, 2011, 04:18 AM EDT

We're not the so-called Fightin' Irish - more like the Drinkin' Irish..

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gobdawpaddy | Oct 24, 2011, 04:06 AM EDT

RedB. The difference is that O'Bama had 'de one'. Read the article again.

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RedBranch | Oct 23, 2011, 03:36 PM EDT

Obama drinks a jar of G and there are cheers and photos glore. Cowen does it and he's an alco driving the country to ruin.

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Towngate | Oct 23, 2011, 01:17 PM EDT

They should ban alcohol completely from Leinster house. Yes! Ireland should try to do SOMETHING in a sober state for a change! ~ Probably the only time Biffo Cowan was sober was when he launched this IrishCentral website. Slainte,Niall! (Hic!)

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Springfield9 | Oct 23, 2011, 11:44 AM EDT

Well, it's a hard thing to fault a man for. Take for instance, the U.S. Constitution. They argued over it all day until they were blue in the face. All the agreements were made in a Tavern across the street over Sherry. So, we can conclude that a nip might clarify your thoughts.

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gobdawpaddy | Oct 23, 2011, 11:00 AM EDT

And poor Jay Leno was critized by FF TDs when he made reference to the 'drunken moron'. Was meeting an Irish government representative in the 'Dail bar' on a visit to Dublin last week. He told me that it was a much quieter place since the change in government in March.

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bunkerisland | Oct 23, 2011, 09:43 AM EDT

Well it sounds like a political leader and his enablers who had little interest in the welfare of the nation, indifference to the pending crisis and personal habits that eventually resulted in the parties downfall. Such neglect of national concerns, arrogance and ignorance allowed the swelling of real estate and real estate prices to the point of the current situation.

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gobdawpaddy | Oct 23, 2011, 07:58 AM EDT

I guess Jay Leno wasn't too far off the mark when he described Cowen as 'the drunken moron'. The other clown (Bertie) of course believes(as he sits on the stool in Fagans) that if he had remained in office, Ireland would not be in the state it is.

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