Kenny reveals grief following mother’s death

THE Taoiseach has spoken of the challenge of dealing with big political events while mourning the passing of his mother and said he understands that “lump in throat” feeling families are faced with every day.

Enda Kenny said he was lucky that Eithne Kenny had lived for so long before passing away in November at the age of 93.

“I had the privilege of having a mother for all of my lifetime,” he said.

“I see some of the other tragedies where young mothers in particular are taken away and that is something that is unbearable for those families involved.”

The death took place at a busy time in his leadership, when he was preparing for a state of the nation address, a crucial eurozone meeting and signing off on the budget.

“It was not easy personally I must say.

“You only have one mother. So everybody, whatever age they are, can be attached to them in that sense. But that is what she would have wanted me to do. To get on with your job.

“We are all on the same conveyer belt as some point or other.”

On the night of her death, the Taoiseach attended the annual Fine Gael presidential dinner at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin.

He said it was “surreal” that people had arrived to celebrate the party’s success in February’s election at a time of his loss.

“People were voicing their excitement at the first time the party has been in government for quite a number of years.”

Sadly, celebrating the “outstanding and unprecedented success for the party” was “tinged with that reality”, he said.

Eithne Kenny was described has having an active involvement in political life in Mayo and had been “proud as punch” when her son became Taoiseach last March. “She lived a long and fruitful life, was very devout to her beliefs and it was a privilege to have had her for that length,” said Mr Kenny.