The end of FF dominance marks a new beginning in Irish politics

In the last election when asked what he had ever done, Kenny had little to say while Bertie Ahern could point to his achievements on the world stage. Next time, Kenny will be able to say that at least he didn’t screw up the economy. Previously always the nearly man, Kenny is growing in stature almost by the day

HISTORIC is a much over-used word. Only the passage of time confers that status on an event. Will we look back then on June 2009 as a turning point in Irish politics? We just might.

In 1998, Ireland — the southern part – became a normal country. All sense that it was in any way a provisional state – that there was unfinished business — was removed with the Good Friday Agreement and the amendment of Articles 2 and 3 to remove the claim on the north-east. The Constitution caught up with the political reality that territorial change would only come — and was only desirable — with the consent (preferably overwhelming consent) of the people of the North.