‘PROFILE IN COURAGE’Lenihan loses battle with cancer at 52

IT was, Brian Lenihan agreed with a friend, the pinnacle of his political career: becoming the first Fianna Fáil figure to address the annual Michael Collins commemoration at Béal na mBláth.

In that speech last August, Mr Lenihan acknowledged the severity of the economic crisis and its human cost, but placed his faith in the “essential resilience” of the Irish people to pull through.

Sadly, despite demonstrating precisely that resilience in his battle with cancer, Mr Lenihan lost his 18-month fight yesterday, dying in the early hours of the morning at the age of 52.