Walsh address pays tribute to Lenihan

MICHAEL COLLINS would have empathised with the bravery and courage of the late Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan who delivered the oration at the Béal na mBláth commemoration just months before his death, the founding president of the University of Limerick, Dr Edward Walsh, told attendees at this year’s ceremony in West Cork yesterday.

The late Fianna Fáil minister who died in June at the age of 52 made history last August when he became the first figure in the party to deliver the keynote oration at the annual Collins commemoration at Béal na mBláth.

Dr Walsh, who was instrumental in transforming the University of Limerick from a regional college into one of the country’s top universities, said his predecessor as orator was “a man of courage, ability, energy and integrity”.

“Collins would have joined with us in mourning an untimely death. He would have recognised Lenihan’s unrelenting commitment to his public duties and to Ireland, while knowing his own chances of survival were slim, and most likely he would shortly die. Let us pause for a few moments in memory of two fine Irishmen who met untimely deaths: Brian Lenihan and Michael Collins.”

Speaking at the commemoration last year Brian Lenihan called on all in public life to let the spirit of Michael Collins inspire them through the current economic crisis.

Meanwhile, Dr Walsh told the 1,000-plus attendees the dire crisis in which Ireland is ensnared and the “opportunist way in which the strong took advantage of the weak last Christmas” would certainly be on Michael Collins’ mind were he with us today. He claimed Collins would be anticipating the skirmishes that lie ahead and thinking of how best to secure bargaining chips that a small state might use in facing down major European powers.

And joining the Euro in 1999 was a serious mistake.

“Ireland entered and lost control of the two vital monetary instruments: setting interest rates and setting currency exchange rates. Had Ireland remained outside the euro, its bankers would not have gained access to the eurozone’s vast and low-interest borrowing opportunities. Without the outlandish credit available within the eurozone the building bubble, the resultant government tax windfalls and Ahern’s, McCreevy’s and Cowen’s spending splurge would have been impossible. The country would not now be in receivership.”

The educationalist stressed that while Irish banks were guilty of foolish borrowing, the German and French banks lent recklessly and the ECB failed effectively to regulate that activity.

Dr Walsh said Michael Collins, were he around today, would put the fear of God into those who abuse their secure positions and fail to put Ireland first at this time of great crisis.

“Reforming our public sector and cutting back on public expenditure in order to balance our budget, sooner rather than later, is the priority. Only when our budget is balanced, and we are no longer dependent on others to pay public sector wages and welfare, can we start to play hardball in the EU to alter the unreasonable terms of the bank deal.”

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been confirmed as the guest speaker at next year’s Michael Collins commemoration. The 2012 commemoration will mark the 90th anniversary of Collins death on August 22, 1922.