No this is not digoutday, but after listening to local FF politicians spinning that Aherne had been the "best Taoiseach ever" I am anxious to hear a more balanced and realistic assessment of his political contribution to our State.

Digoutday - where are you?

I broke my McDonalds rule so I could eat and post during the busy discussion here - where are you all? I've prostituted my starving self to the Golden Drive-thru arches and all for nothing???!!!

Was Bertie the Mac clown and Drumcondra the Golden Arch of Irish politics?

digout will hardly be available until sometime tomorrow - such is the condition that an excess of beer can engender in a man. pm him now on p.ie while he can still type

All of Drumcondra is waiting on his canonisation, according to the News at One vox pop.

One for you, digout

cheers for the beer, i am going for a skinfull of real ones later, anybody joining in?

aherns legacy? he brought this country to the brink of loosing its democracy. him + his party squandered billions of public money which was gained by indebting the ordinary workers who just wanted to buy a gaff. he made his property developer friends millions. he did nothing for public services. he destroyed political debate in ireland by simply dismissing anybody who did not agree with him as being either a lulu,just FG etc.

we are very lucky to see the back of him and lets hope he spends his remaining days in a jail cell.

Thanks for your comments digout. I would add stuff about nornireland and letting Dempsey put us in long term hock paying for his idiotic schemes, without even getting started.
Most of all for betraying to ordinary lower income FF voter and all the people who have stayed living in stressed out poverty all through the boom, and for hiding behind the PDs in privatising and, by the end of the boom, impoverishing the State.

If anyone else is going to the Pub later, can you please consume a pint for me please.

A Pint for you EvotingMachine097

Has no one anything nice to say?

Northern Ireland, all that work on the EU constitution?

A lot of the denounciations of him seem a little premature, FF are still going to be running things. Let's see if Dempsey is entirely to blame on Bertie.

Here's the BBC's take on Bertie: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7326343.stm

Plenty of tributes from the powers that be, but look in the 'have your say' section.

905 wrote:

Has no one anything nice to say?

Northern Ireland, all that work on the EU constitution?

A lot of the denounciations of him seem a little premature, FF are still going to be running things. Let's see if Dempsey is entirely to blame on Bertie.

I will say something nice. But not today.

Thanks for the beer Cactus.

905 wrote:

Has no one anything nice to say?

Northern Ireland, all that work on the EU constitution?

A lot of the denounciations of him seem a little premature, FF are still going to be running things. Let's see if Dempsey is entirely to blame on Bertie.

Both of those would have happened anyway, and "peace" was bought at any price.

With respect to "running the place" well they have been running it for themselves, but since the economy turned south they have been doing feck all. we aren't loosing a taoiseach, we haven't had one for a long time. Cowen won't have to try too hard to keep up.. (which should suit him)

My point about running things was that this won't suddenly change so that trip to the pub is a little premature.

The two things may have happened anyway but that doesn't change the fact that Bertie and his government put a lot of effort into them.

I don't agree with the Ahern contribution to NI - if anything he was clawing back ground which Haughey lost the process in the eighties when the myth was generally promulgated that Garret Fitzgerald was a 'turncoat' and a brit-lover and all that trash that FFers still come out with when they refer to Fitzgerald's efforts and co-operation with Thatcher on forming an independent assembly in NI.

History will not include Ahern prominently in the history of the ending of the Troubles - he will be on the chorus only. Haughey is the name that will be associated most with Ahern, not Trimble and Hume.

I can't wait to see what Garret the Good's tribute will be like next Saturday in the Times. Anything positive, anything, and those new FGs will be braying about treachery.

Victor Meldrew wrote:

905 wrote:

Has no one anything nice to say?

Northern Ireland, all that work on the EU constitution?

A lot of the denounciations of him seem a little premature, FF are still going to be running things. Let's see if Dempsey is entirely to blame on Bertie.

Both of those would have happened anyway, and "peace" was bought at any price.

With respect to "running the place" well they have been running it for themselves, but since the economy turned south they have been doing feck all. we aren't loosing a taoiseach, we haven't had one for a long time. Cowen won't have to try too hard to keep up.. (which should suit him)

Beer Victor? It isn't a Bass

Our desire to be kind to the afflicted is not a good enough reason to go soft on Ahern. Couldn't agree with you more. The GFA and the amendment of articles 2 and 3 was a historic mistake. Not solely to be laid at B.A's door, but he took time out to make sure it happened. In terms of mismanagement of a boom, it is hard to see how government could have done worse: 30 million euro on a couple greyhound stadium stands. 30,000 a year on makeup to hide the red nose. Driving us down in terms of competitivity and leaving those on low incomes rot whilst shovelling it to himself and his friends by the bucketload.
Well gone. I hope we can bury the "cute hoor" worship along with the BA era.

The amending of Articles 2 and 3 was a mistake? You're being ironic are you? And if you are, was BA solely responsible for orchestrating that or is it even half correct to say his administration was responsible for that?

No Auditor, like very many other people I voted against. And as I said "Not solely to be laid at B.A's door, but he took time out to make sure it happened".

cookiemonster wrote:

!!!WOHOO!!!
I heard the news while in a meeting so I didn't get to do this then but I'm doin' it now.

G'bye you useless fuck!

!!!WOHOO!!!

Not sure if you like this stuff Cookiemonster but here's one for you anyway.

Grubby slíbhín who made many media hearts flutter for too long. Far too much credit for his part in the peace process. Might do a few nights in the 'Joy if we're lucky. He'll not have an nth of the machine at his back to shield him from the tribunal mortars. I'd say Des O'Neill has a few more barrack busters in the back of the hiace.

Céad míle slán, a Bhertie

...and I hope man u win nothin' and the dubs get thrashed.........sorry Ard-Taoiseach(mn's that is)

but on the other side........ah........ah.......ehm ....

I think Ahern leaving could mean a serious amount of personal sick days to the productivity of the country tomorrow...