The Kennedy Era is over - Edward Kennedy 1932-2009

For over a generation there has been a Kennedy at the forefront of of US Politics but sadly yesterday that era came to an end with the passing of Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy 77, from a brain tumour.

Like many conservatives, I regarded most* of his political views with utter disdain, and so I find it hard to discuss my true feelings about the "Liberal Lion" of the Senate. That said; despite his backward views, a multitude of personal tragedies and questionable transgressions, I recognise his status as a political icon. I'm positive that he will be missed and remembered not only in the US but here in Ireland too.

In 2006, Time magazine named him as one of America's "Ten Best Senators", saying that he had "amassed a titanic record of legislation affecting the lives of virtually every man, woman and child in the country" but as far as this island goes he will be remembered as both the madman who staunchly supported Irish Republicanism in the 70's, once calling for British troops to leave Northern Ireland, but more recently, one of the political heroes of the peace process leading to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

[Left: Bertie Anern and Ted Kennedy, Capitol Hill March 15th 2007]

One of our own prominent politicians Micheál Martin TD said today: "He knew and loved Ireland - it's people, it's music and its culture. As the embodiment of the Irish immigrant story, his special dedication to the peace process was unrivalled and deeply held." Tributes were also seen and heard from An Taoiseach Brian Cowan, former foreign affairs minister Peter Barry and Ambassador Dan Rooney but it was the words of our greatest living former leader Bertie Ahern that resonate most: "it is Ted Kennedy’s great achievement that his own life transcended tragedy and not only emulated but surpassed the achievement of his brothers who he revered. The causes, for which he stood, civil rights, health care, immigrant workers and Ireland, are all immensely endowed because of the decades of unstinting effort, political skill and campaigning zeal which he dedicated his life to."

Sen. Kennedy will lie in repose Thursday and Friday at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston and will be buried Saturday near his brothers at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington Va.

*Despite his opposition to the war, I agreed with for example: his 2005 legislation that sped up production and procurement of uparmored Humvees

The End Of An Era - So Long Bertie!

One of the greatest and most memorable periods in Irish political history came to an end on Tuesday as the last of the great Charlie Haughy's cabinet, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today tendered his resignation after 11 years in office, which made him one of Europe's longest-serving leaders.

Bertie handed in his seal of office to President McAleese after spending his final day in the post at the site of the historic Battle of the Boyne. He joined outgoing Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley for the joint opening of the iconic Battle of the Boyne site in Co. Louth. The site has been developed by Bertie's government as a reconciliation project, helping to forge a friendship between Bertie and Paisley and thaw relations between unionists and nationalists on the island.

Paisley, who is also stepping down later this month after decades at the turbulent frontline of Northern Irish politics said he believed Bertie would make a good Irish president. "I think that probably he will be a candidate for the presidency," he told RTE radio. "After all he has done he deserves to be the president of the country."

Bertie was elected Taoiseach in 1997 and won three successive general elections as head of a coalition government overseeing an unprecedented decade-long economic boom, earning long-ailing Ireland the "Celtic Tiger" moniker.

Along with then British prime minister Tony Blair, he helped seal the landmark 1998 Good Friday agreement for Northern Ireland. The peace accord steered the province away from decades of violence between Protestants and Catholics and led to the restoration of a power-sharing administration in Belfast one year ago Thursday.

Before handing in his resignation, Ahern said his contribution to a peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in neighbouring Northern Ireland was his "proudest achievement."

"I thank God that we have closed the bloody chapters in our history and opened a new book of reconciliation and renewal," Bertie wrote in The Irish Times newspaper. He also called for the Irish to vote "Yes" to the European Union's key Lisbon Treaty in a June 12 referendum, which will provide the incoming Taoiseach Brian "Biffo" Cowen with his first major test in office.

There is also speculation that Bertie might run for the post of EU president -- which would be created by the Lisbon Treaty. He will remain as head of the government formally until later today, Cowen will be elected his successor in the Dail. Bertie is also expected to hand over the Top-Secret Irish section of the UNETIDA "Go-Codes" to Lieutenan Colonel "Whopper" Creedon before Biffo assumes control.

Sources:Various Media Sources.

His Excellency: Bertie Ahern

I'll admit I laughed when House Speaker Nanci Pelosi introduced the "THAY-shock" (LOL - Bloody Democrats) Bertie Ahern as "His Excellency"? Lucas! Heh! I'm still laughing. Bertie? But seriously, is Bertie not excellent? of course he is!

"His Excellency" proceeded to give the greatest speech of his career, one of his presumed final acts on the world stage. He hailed ties between Ireland and the United States and looked back on the peace he helped craft in Northern Ireland. "After decades of conflict, I am so proud to be the first Irish leader to inform the United States Congress that Ireland is at peace," he said.

Bertie spoke at a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, he said Ireland and the United States have a relationship forged by generations of Irish immigrants. "To be an Irishman among Americans is to be at home," he said.

[Left: Lt.Colonel "Whopper" Creedon listening intently as living history is made]

Bertie is widely credited with helping to achieve the Good Friday peace accord of 1998 for the neighboring British territory of Northern Ireland and for overseeing the longest economic expansion in Ireland's history.

The Taoiseach was to meet President Bush on Wednesday afternoon as well. That visit comes barely a month after he was last in the White House to meet the Commander In Chief for St. Patrick's Day.

Bertie also will be guest of honor at a congressional lunch hosted by the Friends of Ireland group in the House of Representatives.

Source: AP

A Dark Day for Ireland

It is with a tear filled eye that I regretfully announce that our great leader Bertie Ahern will be stepping down as Taoiseach, Prime Minister of Ireland.

Bertie, almost a living saint, has had to duck and dodge a barrage of personal attacks on him and his finances over many months. And like a true hero he had decided to fall on his sword, to protect his party, the government and our nation from the treasonous actions of the opposition.

In a general election last year, the people of Ireland spoke up in a solid voice that they didn't mind who gave him money or what the hell he does with it as long as he would continue to lead our nation as he had done in the previous decade.

However, ignoring the voice of the people they claim to represent, the traitors in opposition government continued to put a negative spin on the origins of some small amounts (to politicians) of cash that poor Bertie had away for a rainy day. This constant aggressive assault on a national hero, the greatest leader since C.J. Haughey eroded his famous "Teflon" coating and destroyed his political will.

But Bertie will have the last laugh, as someone said to me, "he'll rise from the ashes in some alternate form" (maybe even President Bertie?) but one thing is for sure: His place in history is secure as a bringer of peace to Northern Ireland and much more, whereas Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gillmore's most valuable contributions to history will only be their photographs beside the Oxford Dictionary terms "Smarmy Little Fucker" and "Semi-retarded Gobshite" respectively.

A Bowl of Shamrock Between Friends

There's a great tradition in the White House on St. Patrick's Day. Our Taoiseach, in this case the great Bertie Ahern, (far from the treasonous antics of the whining muppets in opposition back in the Dáil) makes a journey to meet with the President of Freedom and Glory, in this case George W. Bush and presents him with a Waterford Crystal bowl of Shamrock. This year was the final year in which Bertie would present it to George but hopefully next year President McCain will uphold this great tradition.

Bertie Forever or Bertie Begins - Joe(ker) Higgins gone!

I'm no stranger to victory as a quick glance at my fruit salad will tell you; Grenada, Panama, Iraq (I) and Kosovo to name but a few. As the votes were counted in Ireland's general election late into last Friday evening I could get the same smell as that when I stood victorious after the most heated battles of those conflicts. It was not long before it became clear that a victory for Fianna Fail and more importantly our great leader Bertie Ahern was imminent.

It's almost certain now that our government is safe, safe from the control of leftists, socialists and communists who would seek to destroy our nation with their ill conceived plans, false arguments, insane ideas and uncharismatic leaders. While thankfully many of the more extreme left parties lost much of their previous government representation and did not achieve the numbers they had projected for this election, the government itself lost it's main coalition partner, the right-wing Progressive Democrats who were decimated down to 2 seats in government.

The Irish people were robbed of Michael McDowell a patriot whose mission it was to rule with an Iron fist, but FF kept him in check after his unprecedented ascendance to power in 2006. Oh Michael, why did you create a diet-Garda force instead of issuing all the proper Guards Glocks and kevlar and give them AI controlled bikes to dispense justice? - you were practically a Blueshirt! It should have been obvious to you. At least with the departure of a patriot there's also the departure of Socialist nutbag Joe Higgins who throughout the years has done nothing than been the Dail's "class clown" poking fun and been generally disrespectful to Bertie, the elected leader of government. Thankfully he's heading where he should have gone a long time ago down the shitter to obscurity.

All that needs to be done now is to form a stable government with a majority of the 166 seats. In the election, Fianna Fail (the Soldiers Of Destiny) who have provided the lifeblood of Irish politics since the formation of the country have retained all their 78 seats of the previous government. They must now gather forces from the smaller representatives, most likely from the remainder of the Progressive Democrats and like-minded Independents like the fascinating Jackie Healy-Rae (yes, this man is a politician) in order to defeat the evil Enda Kenny and his cronies. A less likely and most undesirable situation is a government formed with the assistance of the tree-hugging hippies The Green Party, this is undesirable as the cost of their allegiance may try to force Bertie to stop the use of Shannon Airport by the US Military to refuel their aircraft in order to pacify the middle east and wage the glorious War on Terror to say nothing of the Green's expensive and ridiculous "measures" we should be employing in order to combat the myth that is "Global Warming".

Let us hope that in the coming weeks, our great leader, Bertie will be successful in seducing Mary Harney and the others into a favourable situation and the country continues on the path where we have prospered for the past decade - AND SO SAY WE ALL!