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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Ireland needs an honest man at the helm --They may have found it in Enda Kenny

Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 04:29 PM

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He is very likely the next Prime Minister of the Irish Republic and he would come to office at a critical time for a nation battered by an economic storm as vicious as the winter tempests that have swept through Ireland in recent weeks.

Yet Enda Kenny,59, displays a calm serenity in the face of such a monstrous challenge.

A youthful-looking former schoolteacher with no personal wealth or ever a hint of corruption, Kenny may be exactly what Ireland needs at this juncture, an honest man, ready to lead a reform government which will restore the badly battered image of the country abroad and at home.

It is amazing that what was previously held against Kenny, his small town rural roots, his plain spoken persona, are now the very attributes that may well propel him to power.

The Irish have had enough of self styled experts, economic gurus and whizz kids who have collectively led them to ruin.A plain spoken everyman with the zeal of a genuine reformer now fits the bill.

Sitting in his opposition leader's office in Dublin's parliament building you get the sense of a man ready and willing to face any challenge the future brings.

He is a man with no airs and graces, utterly at ease with himself. When we first meet there is no entourage or minders, just Kenny strolling alone through the halls of parliament, with a quiet word for everybody.

On the wall in his office is Michael Collins memorabilia, as befits the man who has inherited the leadership of the Fine Gael party which Michael Collins helped create before his untimely death.

Kenny is also taking nothing for granted, despite the opinion polls showing an imminent collapse in the vote of the governing party, Fianna Fail, and their coalition partners the Green Party.

But Fine Gael have been the Washington Generals, the team that plays the Harlem Globetrotters and almost always loses, in Irish politics.

Fianna Fail have been in power almost 22 years out of the last 24. This massive financial meltdown however, threatens to take them down once and for all.

Kenny has painstakingly built up his party for over a decade now, after they suffered another calamitous defeat and they have increased their vote in every election since.

His big moment will come sometime in the next twelve weeks or so when an election is called.

He knows Ireland needs a reforming, corruption free government that will tackle the massive economic issues head on.

He intends to do so quoting one of his favorite American politicians, 'Give 'em hell' Harry Truman.

Kenny is a keen student of American politics, an admirer of the Kennedys and the rich Irish legacy in American politics.

He has an instinctive feel for the U.S. because of his small town Mayo roots.

Emigration was a fact of life growing up and he has relatives scattered throughout America, including in Montana and Ohio.

He knows the emigrant trails that so many from County Mayo took, to Butte,Montana for mining, to upstate New York for canal digging and so on across the country.

This background means that he will have a knowledge and insight into the emigration issue that will serve him well if elected in dealing with the Irish Diaspora.

He makes it clear that if elected he will pay close attention to Diaspora issues and to focus on developing the links between Ireland and its 70 million family abroad.

The task will not be easy for whoever takes over Ireland's government after the next election but Enda Kenny is certainly ready to answer the call when the votes are counted.

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32 comments

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sirpeter | Dec 15, 2010, 02:24 PM EST

The correct terminology is not Prime Minister,but Taoiseach which means in Irish to extract money from the Irish people via their bollix.I wish Neill you would get that right.

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Dublinjas | Dec 15, 2010, 01:10 PM EST

This man grows on you the more you are exposed to him, Enda Kenny's time has come, he will undoubtedly form the next Government and rather him than me, Fianna Fail by health, stealth and wealth has destroyed this Irish Nation, the next government to take over will inherit an indebted shell of a nation teetering on complete collapse, a nation that has just passed stage one of the most austere budget in the history of the state. But sadly it will not work and Fine Gael knows why, they know you can not advance economically without restructuring the senior bond holder debt, and that has not been done due to the promises made by the present government, Fine Gael can renegotiate those idiotic promises, If not this country will collapse. But whatever comes or goes Fine Gael the party of the Big Fella and Enda Kenny will form the next Government please God.

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antoman | Dec 15, 2010, 01:03 PM EST

"You're so vain,I bet you think this song is about you"..thats Enda Kenny for ya right there.

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sanctuarymark | Dec 15, 2010, 12:34 PM EST

Roll on the Kenny era. Nobody could screw things up any more than the current shower of tired failures. Step 1 when in Government--cut their stupidly generous pensions.

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OGeibhnnaigh | Dec 15, 2010, 12:25 PM EST

If you're right in your assessment, he would seem to be the sound man that the country hasn't had at the helm for many, many years. Buíchos le Dia

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LIAMPHOTO | Dec 15, 2010, 11:59 AM EST

Enda Kenny, is a very honest and nice person, the first thing he should do when he takes over is to get rid of all the PH'D in the Department Of Finance, the stupid clowns that let my Country slip into the gutter, what in the name of God were they doing ( taking great pay for doing nothing ) shame on them, and shame on Brian Cowen for being such an unsavvy person, in allowing them to bring my country to this sorry state. The second thing he has to do is arrest Michael Lynn

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ancavker | Dec 15, 2010, 11:47 AM EST

Nothing wrong with Fatso wanting all British links removed; he is entitled to his opinion.

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monaghanjack | Dec 15, 2010, 10:56 AM EST

Enda Kenny chooses his words carefully, unlike those of Fatso (the present Taoiseach) who while a guest at Stormont declared that he wanted all British links removed. That indicates the deep-down feelings pf the man. Enda Kenny has been here, is open and respects the views of others. He will be a great Taoiseach and we, in Northern Ireland, wish him well.

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Towngate | Dec 15, 2010, 10:43 AM EST

IS THIS intended as a Party Political Broadcast for the Fianna Bias Party? Is this the same 'man of the moment' Enda Kenny your ambitious TD brother Fergus tried to oust?............Niall, you should declare a 'conflict of interest' when writing on this subject..............." ...an Honest man at the Helm? ... that would be nice .... but then, you own this boat,Cap!

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LoyalCitizen | Dec 15, 2010, 10:29 AM EST

Fine Gael/Labour Coalition government illegally introduced opinions into Irish Law in 199 and have reaped the benefits ever since. Their will never be a honest politician in Ireland until we get a court system that works.

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greenferrett101 | Dec 15, 2010, 10:25 AM EST

He's an idiot. Remember when America had enough of 'whizzes' and voted for someone 'plain speaking' - we got GWB. At this stage though, beggars cant be choosers. Ireland isn't mad about him but they don't have many options

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jmcmahon | Dec 15, 2010, 10:15 AM EST

If just 5% of 70 million Irish Americans contribute $1000 ($3.5 b), U2 and the other Irish gad-zillionaires contribute 25% of a years income to the country, Ireland would get a boost and pay down its debt. Having an honest politician at the helm is needed for people to have the confidence that outside help wont be swindled. I left Ireland in 1978 when unemployment was 18.5%. I was so proud when Ireland's star rose. It breaks my heart to see the corner that Ireland is in. This is a 10 - 20 year swindler mortgage that the taxpayers have taken on. If Sinn Fein cant take a sizable % of the vote in this climate, they should go back to school. The Euro, Brussels Eurocrats all must have us thinking about sovereignty. Our day will come again. Bono, Irish patriotism means moving your tax base back home, paying your fare share of Irish taxes and doing much more to help your country recover. Warren Buffett had the right idea. Give 90% of your money away. There was a time for LIVE AID. Now is the time for IRISH AID. Leadership is showing that all the rules apply equally and that you lead by example.

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jmcmahon | Dec 15, 2010, 10:01 AM EST

Charlie Haughey was a heavyweight and headed what the U.S. Justice Dept. would have called a criminal enterprise. Bertie Ahearn, also a heavyweight, was Haughey's protege and, having learned well at the master's knee, also accumulated a fortune in government service, while shamefully mismanaging the economy. Cowan is Bertie's protege, another heavyweight, more incompetent than corrupt - but all following, with a few notable exceptions, a similar script in the failed institution of Irish politics. Maybe, just maybe, an honest, decent lightweight is what the country needs.

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dessieglynn | Dec 15, 2010, 09:49 AM EST

What the f*%k do you think Cowan is?????

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ancavker | Dec 15, 2010, 09:49 AM EST

Niall: Sloppy facts here. Michael Collins did not help create Fine Gael.He was long dead when the party was established. While he may be considered one of the founding influences of Fine Gael. He did not found the party, nor it's predecesor Cumman na nGaedheal. Noce to see howvere that he is not a west Brit like that sniveling John Bruton.

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