Cowen premiership starts to unravel

SUDDENLY, Brian Cowen cut a chastened, hunted figure – the arrogance of a few hours earlier gone as he stood alone knowing his removal from office was now far closer than he had realised.

Clearly still unable to grasp the full magnitude of how badly he had let down the country – and himself – Cowen nervously whimpered he’d “hate to think” he had damaged Ireland’s reputation and the office of Taoiseach.

But those of us living in the Real World had already come to that damning conclusion Tuesday afternoon when Cowen was still joking he’d be doing more early-morning interviews and did not know what all the fuss was about.