International media disagree and press the corruption button
They noted his political longevity, his piloting of the economic boom and his status as Broker-in-Chief for the Good Friday Agreement.
But almost all failed to heed his warning that only a “simplistic analysis” would link his decision to call it a day to the Mahon Tribunal’s trawl through his financial records.
“Recent developments have not motivated my decision. For the record I state today that nothing could be further from the truth,” Mr Ahern said.
The New York Times disagreed.
“Ireland’s prime minister to resign amid corruption inquiry,” ran its headline.
Similarly Paris-based Le Figaro dealt with his finances before anything else.
Translated it said: “Bertie Ahern, the focus of a judicial inquiry into allegations of corruption, will resign on May 6 after 11 years in power.”
And a user’s comment on its website said in French “worse than Chirac, not as bad Haughey”.
The Los Angeles Times told its readers the long-ruling prime minister, dogged by allegations of financial impropriety, will step down next month.
In London, the Independent lauded his statesmanship but reporter David McKittrick said the Taoiseach was leaving as “the financial sleaze controversies surrounding him show no sign of abating”.
At the other side of the world Australia’s best-selling newspaper, the Herald Sun, gave a kinder account of Mr Ahern’s tenure as taoiseach.
It described “corruption whispers” but led off with praise from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who said peace in Ireland would not have been possible without his Irish counterpart.
From an Islamic perspective the Al Jazeera news channel failed to mention his political achievements at all and focused on his finances, his High Court challenge and the famous phrase which has been the millstone around Mr Ahern’s neck. It recalled Charles Haughey’s jibe that Mr Ahern was “the most cunning, the most ruthless and the most devious of them all”.
Similarly the Argentine La Prensa opened its account on the section of Mr Ahern’s speech he tried to deflect from.
It even translated his assertion that his surprise resignation had nothing to do with the tribunal.
La Prensa did however give ample space to praise from Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Mary McAleese and Northern Irish politicians.
In his retirement Mr Ahern will hope the verdict of history is kinder than the analysis of the international press.
