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

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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!)

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.

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.

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.

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.