Public keen to remember ‘inspirational’ former minister

PAUL O’MAHONEY was given a one in 10 chance of survival after contracting testicular cancer.

Yesterday he was among hundreds who signed a book of condolence for former finance minister Brian Lenihan, a man whose attitude to the killer disease he found so inspirational.

The 44 year-old Cork accountant spoke of his hope that the late Mr Lenihan’s courage in life would inspire more men to address their own health concerns.

Members of the public gathered at Government Buildings to leave messages of sympathy as well as memories for the family of the late minister.

From morning through to 6pm last night, people queued to sign the two books laid out beside a black and white portrait photograph of Mr Lenihan.

Describing his battle and subsequent survival from testicular cancer, Mr O’Mahoney said he had wanted to sign the book to honour Mr Lenihan’s bravery.

“[I wanted] To say ‘thank you’ as well in the way that he showed the greater masses that you may get cancer but you can still continue on with your life to a level.

“My cancer was pretty vigorous, but I survived and I’m in remission now two years. His death might get more men to start checking themselves and go for the annual NCT and then most of us will probably survive even longer.

“We probably need more pragmatic politicians like that in the system that won’t put themselves first but put the greater good first.”

Retired civil servant Anne O’Byrne, 54, from south Dublin, praised Mr Lenihan’s hard work during his sickness.

“I was very impressed with how hard he worked and tried his best to try and get us out of a situation we had got into. I thought he had worked very hard, despite all his illness.”

Retired Department of Finance maintenance worker Hugh Heardy, 76, from Dundalk said his family had been friends of the Lenihans down through the years

“He had a great sense of humour and was respected by all the other parties,” he said.

Young Cork barrister Karole Cuddihy said: “I wouldn’t normally do something like this. I thought it was a sad occasion and cancer affects a lot of people in this country. I think to carry on when he got afflicted with that, he had by far the most difficult job in the country. With the hours he did, people used to say he would sleep in his office. He carried on what he was doing out of patriotic conviction,” said the 26-year-old lawyer.

Labour party presidential hopeful and former senator Kathleen O’Meara said she had worked alongside Mr Lenihan on an Oireachtas Committee and both were nearly the same age.

Ms O’Meara, also head of advocacy with the Irish Cancer Society, added: “His fortitude and his courage in the face of his illness and also in the face of the challenge that he faced as minister for finance at such a challenging time in the nation’s history has been inspiring.”

One couple from Tullamore, Co Offaly, said they had come to Dublin to pay tribute to a fine politician and somebody who could have been a future leader.

Sean Curley said: “Unfortunately the country has lost a future taoiseach and all we can do is sympathise with his wife, children and the rest of his family.”

His wife, Eilean, added: “I think he was some man for being able to do what he was doing after getting the results of his illness.

“I don’t know how he went through what he had to do.”