Always the fighter, he kept the focus on work

“AMBITIONS somewhat fade when you are in a position like this. You focus on survival yourself and doing your job right.”

Brian Lenihan’s words in January 2010, days after news broke of his cancer, demonstrated an instinct to fight through his most difficult personal battle while attempting to steer the economy through its toughest period in recent history.

Meeting the press days before starting six months of treatment, the then finance minister was defiant.