Leo the Unflappable finally lets down his guard

JUST for a minute, Leo the Unflappable let down the guard which he had so carefully kept in place throughout the last two and half tumultuous, hectic weeks under the white-hot scrutiny of party members and the media. He had stuff to say which he had left unsaid throughout the contest, things he felt deeply about, writes Lise Hand.

The new leader of Fine Gael was a bit tentative at the beginning of his acceptance speech in a stiflingly hot Round Room of the Mansion House. His team had been reasonably confident since the gung-ho beginning of the campaign that their immaculately-prepared man would prevail. But then again, so many recent elections and referendums in other jurisdictions have thrown up shock results. And his opponent Simon Coveney had proven to be more resilient and feistier than anyone had expected.

Leo looked out over the melee of party grassroots, party colleagues, friends and supporters, many of whom were cheering and waving signs bearing his name. It was unlikely he could’ve spotted the couple standing quietly to the back of the crowd. “I think if my election as leader of Fine Gael today shows anything it is that prejudice has no hold in this Republic,” he said.