Cowen on Friday night and Cowen a year ago are two different men

ON September 5, 2008, Brian Cowen appeared on the Late Late Show to give his first big interview as Taoiseach to Pat Kenny.

On September 3, 2009, Mr Cowen appeared on the Late Late Show to give his first big interview of the autumn to new presenter Ryan Tubridy.

What a difference 363 days can make. The RTÉ website allows direct comparison between the two interviews, and the contrast between the Taoiseach now and the Taoiseach a little less than a year ago is startling.