Cowen hits high note on Offaly return

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen returned to his native Offaly over the weekend and hit all the right notes.

As thousands turned out to greet him in Edenderry, Tullamore and Birr, Mr Cowen finished several of the appearances by breaking into song.

In Tullamore, it was a few bars of My Way and then a rendition of The Offaly Rover.

In Clara, the small village where he was born and raised, he sang a song particularly close to his heart — the lyrics being all about his father, the late Laois-Offaly TD and junior minister Bernard “Ber” Cowen.

Ber Cowen, a publican, auctioneer, butcher and undertaker, was first elected to the Dáil in 1969. His death in 1984 at the age of 51 led to the byelection, which saw his son elected.

On Saturday that son sang these words:

“It was in the year of ’69,

Ber Cowen he did get in.

He was always fond of politics,

And the seat we’d knew he’d win.

Oh Ber Cowen he is a TD, me boys.

Ber Cowen he is a TD,

And he got Clara a swimming pool,

Because it wasn’t near the sea.

And he built a brand new pub, me boys

And let the auld one fall,

Cos it wasn’t up to date enough,

For a member of the Dáil.”

And so on. It was funny, heartwarming stuff, the local boy done good coming home. And it was old-style politics too.

Brian Cowen, his family and a large Fianna Fáil entourage on a stagetruck — a platform on a lorry trailer — as he addressed the crowd assembled on the village green.

But there was a serious message too. Mr Cowen, speaking without notes for 30 minutes on the kind of taoiseach he intended being, the challenges facing the country and the need to preserve and foster civic spirit.

He talked of the need for a national conversation to decide what the country’s priorities should be; of how to best help the elderly and the vulnerable; of helping the young achieve their full potential; of improving public services; of reaching out to countries and peoples less fortunate than ourselves.

But he also said it wasn’t just government on whom the responsibility fell. Individuals had responsibilities too, in particular responsibilities to their families and communities.

“The one thing we know more than any other, from our civic and religious heritage in this country, is that it is only by giving that we receive; it is only by stretching ourselves beyond our own self-interests that we’ll find fulfilment in our lives; it is only by being part of a community, part of something bigger than ourselves, that we will have the sort of life that we hope for us and our children. And that is what politics has to be about in his country.”

It was fiery and passionate and couldn’t have been in greater contrast to his predecessor who, although boasting formidable political skills, didn’t count public speaking and rhetoric among them.

Mr Cowen can do rhetoric and he can do “the vision thing”, as it is often referred to. He is book-smart, street-smart and a formidable politician in his own right.

Even opposition TDs would admit there is little doubt that Mr Cowen has all the skills to be an impressive taoiseach.

But possessing the potential is one thing — delivering on it another entirely.

With his weekend speeches, with his vision of what the Government can and should be, Brian Cowen has set the bar high for himself. But can he clear it?