The death of Albert Reynolds: Unburdened by political baggage

THOUGH his term of office as Taoiseach was one of the shortest, the contribution made by former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, who has died at the age of 81, to the making of an enduring peace on this island will go down in the pages of Irish and British history as one of the most important achievements of our time.

Businessman, dance hall owner, showband promoter, pet food manufacturer, and publisher, he was born in Rooskey, Co Roscommon, and got his first job as a railway porter.

A self-made man, he was unburdened by political baggage and fitted comfortably into the role of statesman in tortuous peace negotiations between Dublin and London. He had a relationship of absolute trust with former British prime minister John Major who said he was "at the heart of the success of the Irish peace process".

A bridge builder and risk taker, in his dogged pursuit of peace he also gained the trust of extreme loyalists and nationalists alike.

As former president Mary MacAleese put it yesterday, he was the main navigator of the peace initiative, bringing stability to the political situation, with a great capacity to see a deal through to conclusion, adding that he managed “to garner all the peacemakers, including the Americans, to hold all the pieces in tension until the politics stabilised again”.

Not surprisingly, he was visibly disappointed when she was selected by Fianna Fail as the party’s presidential candidate.

No stranger to political controversy, the Longford Westmeath TD was involved in the heave against former Taoiseach Jack Lynch and was duly rewarded by Charlie Haughey who appointed him minister for posts and telegraphs.

Subsequently sacked by Haughey for trying to oust him, he later fired eight pro-Haughey ministers. Stubborn to a fault, he sued The Sunday Times for calling him a ‘gombeen man’ and won a penny in damages.

His abhorrence of coalition with the PDs, foreshadowed that government’s brief life. The resulting coalition with Labour was doomed by his appointment of attorney general Harry Whelehan as president of the High Court amid controversy over paedophile Fr Brendan Smyth, forcing his resignation as Taoiseach.

His death follows a long bout of Alzheimer’s disease and comes just 10 days before the 20th celebration of the IRA ceasefire, a landmark development which brought an end to 25 years of violence and bloodshed.

As witnessed in glowing tributes to his role in the peace initiative, he was responsible for keeping relations between the British and Irish governments on track during that bloody period of the bomb and the bullet. Without his commitment, the crucial Downing Street declaration might never have emerged to pave the way for the Good Friday Agreement, the corner stone of today’s peace.

Ironically, considering how he is now being praised, his tenacious work for peace was criticised by sections of the media.

A straightforward businessman, he had a remarkable instinct for negotiating a political deal. Priding himself as a man of his word, his mantra was that once an agreement was reached, his word was his bond.

A busy man, all he wanted from his advisers was a one-page briefing rather than reams of documents, a trait derided by some.

It would be hard to overstate his contribution as a minister and businessman to the revival of the Irish economy, as instanced by his success in convincing Brussels to give Ireland £8bn which the country badly needed.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described him as bringing “energy and drive to the development of business and economic growth”.

A family man, he was openly and unashamedly devoted to his wife Kathleen and their seven children, two sons and five daughters.

It is said that visitors to the Reynolds home were moved by the atmosphere of warm friendship and the tangible relationship between them. It can be truly said of Albert Reynolds that he did the State some service. The people of Ireland, north and south, owe him a great debt of gratitude.