Cowen remained a prisoner of his own past

Brian Cowen was elevated to the throne in May 2008 when Bertie Ahern stepped down as Taoiseach. Back then, in what seems like another century, his election was greeted with scenes of jubilation, particularly in his nearby home town of Clara in Offaly. However, the early hopes of a new era in Irish politics were quickly dashed as problem upon problem gathered on his table, not least the defeat in the Lisbon Treaty referendum. Soon the gathering economic storms rained heavily on his parade - and he became immersed in an economic tsunami which threatened to submerge the State. Cowen's failures were manifold. Some lay in communication - despite a cordial and respectful relationship with local media in his home county and across the midlands, the Taoiseach never really got to grips with the Dublin media. His inability to provide a clear vision of a future for this country was also evident - as was his sometimes lack of willingness to engage in what was an urgently required public debate on the bailout, the IMF, the four-year plan, the banking crisis and so on. One couldn't help get the impression that rather than debate on these issues, the Taoiseach was more concerned at convincing the public that he was right and that there was nothing to debate. In many ways, Cowen was a prisoner of his own mentality. His complete immersion in the Fianna Fáil creed meant he viewed almost everything through that distinctive prism. When his own position was challenged, or that of his party, Cowen was at his imperious best. But when the country needed leadership, he found the challenge more difficult. History probably will, to some extent, bear out his own involvement in helping to make the hard decisions, which Fianna Fáil seems so proud of. The problem though was the backdrop to those decisions. His own involvement in creating that nightmare is for the public to decide, but it's fair to say, he could never escape his time at the right hand of Ahern as finance minister. That was brought home by the recent controversy over his meetings and relationship with Seanie FitzPatrick. When he appeared on Ryan Tubridy his apology seemed straight from a solicitors' brief: “If people want me to apologise, I apologise in the event that people think I did something purposely wrong†. In that respect, he was the wrong man at the wrong time, imprisoned in his own past. That problem was highlighted when within hours of being chosen as Fianna Fáil leader, Micheal Martin immediately apologised - despite the fact he was a Cabinet minister throughout the same period. The Taoiseach has been a good friend to the Athlone region for many years. He has been a steadfast supporter of Athlone IT and has been a regular visitor to the South Westmeath region, which neighbours his own West Offaly heartland. There are many in the Midlands, not least in Offaly, and across Westmeath, who will feel sympathy for the outgoing Taoiseach. And although, in many ways, we are in different, dramatic times - who would have envisaged the IMF taking over the country, - Cowen has been subject to more extreme odium and vitriol than any other political leader in the history of the State. While there are many who justifiably feel nothing but bitter anger at Fianna Fáil and Brian Cowen, the office of Taoiseach deserves more respect.