A few more like Garret and we would be much better off.
A man of integrity , a quality lacking in most of our so called T.D’s

Although I’m not a follower of any political party I will say that I’m very sorry to hear about the passing of such a giant of a man as Garet FitzGerald. I remember him from years ago when he was at the height of his politcal career leading the country in challenging times and sowing seeds of peace in Ireland.

Most particularly I remember watching him recently on the RTE program PrimeTime offering his wisdom on helping Ireland out of our current challenges. As I watched and thought about him I realised that here was a man of great integrity, a man of great service, who in light of all the disastrous revelations about other “self-serving” politicians, bankers, regulators, and developers, at the age of 85 he still truly caring about his country and his people, Ireland and the Irish.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam / May his Soul be on God’s right side.

From election campaigns in the 70′s and 80′s I head many a vile remark against Garrett from staunch Fianna Fail voters (many of them my own family!). Yet observe the standing he has held among the nation since, while that of his detractors has imploded along with their party.

The Garrett Vs. Charlie contest in the 1980’s demonstrated that corrupt political practises were okay with a sizeable majority of Irish voters. There should have been no contest, but our blind devotion to cute hoor politics put Haughey in power three times, with FitzGerald only serving twice as Taoiseach. Those of us who happily voted Fianna Fail then (and recently …) have only themselves to blame for the current state of the country. Who else let the bankers, planners, estate agents and local councillors thrive in an athmosphere of corruption but Fianna Fail? And they would never have been able to do so had not so many people voted for them. All the disasters of the past few years are a direct result of those votes.

Apparently those Fianna Fail voters who could no longer stomach voting for the party in our recent election instead gave their votes not to Fine Gael, Labour or any of the left-wing partys, but Sinn Fein. Who are of course Fianna Fail Nua in all but name.

The old saying is that people get the politicions they deserve. I am thus left to wonder what an integrity-free country did to deserve Garrett FitzGerald?

We can only hope that the present generation of Irish voters have moved away from tribal politics, but only time will tell.
Garret’s greatest achievement was getting Maggie Thatcher to sign the Anglo Irish Agreement that set in place what was to follow, the Good Friday agreement, peace in Norhtern Ireland and the Queen’s very successful recent visit to Ireland.
What a legacy to leave.