Lenihan defined by duty, honour and country

DUTY, honour and country. Three simple words, three abstract concepts and three defining qualities by which Brian Lenihan was remembered as he was delivered to his final resting place.

His coffin was draped in the Tricolour to symbolise what was described as his “valiant fight for Ireland”, when he found the courage to fight illness and to face “challenges of the most daunting kind”.

In the small church of St Mochta’s, Porterstown, where Brian liked to sit alone on Sunday nights with his head buried in his hands, his friends, families and many acquaintances yesterday gathered to bid their final farewell.

Crowds started gathering early, waiting outside in the hazy morning sunshine for the funeral mass.

The Dáil had adjourned for the day as a mark of respect. But colleagues, past and present from Fianna Fáil, which he was “devoted to”, gathered there in the morning to travel to the funeral in a bus together.

Other former TDs, many of whom served with Brian during his most testing time in office, trickled into the crowds, greeting each other as old friends do at funerals.

They stood outside as the new Cabinet arrived at the church together, followed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who took his place three rows in front of his pre-decessor Brian Cowen.

And then the crowd moved back and broke into applause as Patricia Ryan arrived, head bowed, for her husband’s funeral.

She was followed by her daughter, Claire, and son, Tom, who — with the demeanour of his father — winked in appreciation at friends and shook hands and thanked people as he entered the church.

Just four weeks ago, his father had helped him prepare for his legal exams.

As a young barrister, Brian Lenihan was “effortless in his brilliance”, according to the former attorney general, Paul Gallagher, who delivered the eulogy.

But he decided to “devote himself to public office” in 1997. “He did it with such distinction, such diligence and dedication that he achieved great things,” Mr Gallagher said.

Politics “excited his every neuron, it permeated his every fibre”. As finance minister, he had faced “challenges of the most daunting kind”; challenges “that provided no footprints to guide him”. But for Brian, “quitting was never an option”. His love of country, his devotion to Fianna Fáil and the support of his family meant it was “impossible for him to give up”.

Many once-famous faces, no longer a part of public life — Brian Cowen, Mary Coughlan and Mary Harney — laughed fondly as Mr Gallagher recounted Brian’s habit of stealing pens during cabinet meetings. Their notepads would be scribbled on, their paper snatched and “worst of all, there would be a half-eaten biscuit on your plate and you’d look around to take it and it would be gone”.

He also recalled how Brian would cause “pandemonium” in the Department of Finance by slipping across the road to visit Mr Gallagher for a chat in his office. Finance officials would soon be on the phone demanding his return. “Brian would always say, ‘I’ll be out in a minute’. But a minute was a relative concept. Brian achieved what Einstein predicted but could not accomplish: Brian annihilated time,” said Mr Gallagher.

Many mourners had gathered to remember their public representative in Dublin West, which he had “cared for”, in the words of chief celebrant Fr Eugene Kennedy, providing the area with schools, facilities and the newly constructed Saint Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown.

“The hospice will remain a monument to his work,” Fr Kennedy said, adding it was “a cruel irony that he was amongst its first home-care patients”.

The rattling of the leaves on the old chestnut trees was the only disturbance as silence fell on the solemn crowd at that moment.

The second reading was chosen by Patricia, and delivered by Brian’s old Trinity roommate, David Lowe: “The time has come for me to depart. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

After an 18-month battle with illness, during which time he faced the most daunting challenges of any finance minister, Brian Lenihan was laid to rest.

He had shown amazing courage. But it was the courage of Patricia, Tom and Claire that was remarkable yesterday, as they followed his coffin down a narrow country road to St David’s Church Graveyard where he was laid to rest.

Mr Gallagher remarked: “His devotion to the public was exceeded only by his devotion to his family.

“They shared Brian with us. They gave us Brian during the period of his illness. They allowed him continue doing what he did so well, they allowed him be the patriot that he was.”

Picture: Clare and Tom Lenihan watch the remains of their father being carried to the hearse. Picture: Collins Dublin/Colin Keegan