16The Breen I knew – Ab initio
Appendix 1: Expressions of Sympathy, Dáil Éireann, 15 June 2011
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In the first instance, we want to thank the authors of each of the individual essays for taking the time out of their busy schedules to contribute to this project, for doing so on time and with such care.
We also wish to gratefully acknowledge the wisdom and friendship of Seamus Browne, whose advice is reflected in many facets of this book. We would like to express our gratitude to Jonathan Williams for his faith in this project and to Conor Graham, Lisa Hyde and all at Irish Academic Press, whose professionalism and attention to detail has made the final publication such a fine production.
We are grateful to many who assisted us in sourcing the photographs included in this book and for permission to reprint them. David Conachy, the Photographic Editor of the Sunday Independent, was extremely generous in that regard. We also wish to thank Stephen Rae, Editor in Chief at Independent News and Media and Michael Hinch, Editorial Imaging Manager at Independent Newspapers Ireland. We are also grateful to Damien Eagers; Peter Cavanagh (irishphoto.com); Eamonn Farrell (RollingNews.ie); Susan Kennedy (Lensmen/Irish Photo Archive) and Irene Stevenson (Irish Times Library) for their permission to use photographs in this book.
Loughlin Deegan, Joe Lennon and Richard Aldous undertook the time-consuming task of reading much of the final manuscript. They were meticulous in so doing and made many useful suggestions for improvement. We want to thank our publicist, Peter O’Connell, for helping to market this book.
All royalties from this book are being donated to the Irish Cancer Society. We want to express our appreciation to Kathleen O’Meara and Orla Sheils at the Irish Cancer Society for their help in this regard.
Others who offered valuable assistance in one form or another include Mary Bailey, Olivia Buckley, Noel Dempsey, Eoin Dorgan, Vincent O’Doherty, Eoghan Ó Neachtain, Eoin O’Shea, John Pollock and Patricia Ryan.
We would each like to thank our families and friends for their support and patience while we committed time to this project.
Working on this book was never a chore, but, of course, at times it was a poignant task. We hope it does some service to the recognition of the legacy of Brian’s too short life.
Brian Murphy
Mary O’Rourke
Noel Whelan
September 2014
LIST OF PLATES
1.Handing in his father’s nomination papers for the 1989 General Election. (pic: Independent News and Media)
2.Canvassing in Ballyfermot during the 1996 Dublin West by-election (pic: Jack McManus, Irish Times)
3.At Dublin West by-election count 3 April 1996 with (seated) Sean Sherwin, National Organiser Fianna Fáil, and (standing l/r) Noel Dempsey TD, Director of Elections; Mary O’ Rourke TD, Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil; Marty Whelan, Fianna Fáil Press Office and Joan Keating, Fianna Fáil HQ (pic: RollingNews.ie)
4.Launching a report, as Minister for Children, at Government Buildings, November 2006 (pic: Tom Burke, Independent News and Media)
5.Receiving the seal of office as Minister for Justice from President McAleese with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, 14 June 2007 (pic: Albert Gonzalez, RollingNews.ie)
6.Congratulating new Garda recruits, as Minister for Justice, at Templemore College July 2007 (pic: Eamonn Farrell, RollingNews.ie)
7.With Mary O’Rourke TD and Conor Lenihan TD at Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party conference, Druid Glen, September 2007 (pic: Independent News and Media)
8.Shopper watches as the Minister for Finance delivers his first Budget 14 October 2008 (pic: Martin Nolan, Independent News and Media)
9.With Taoiseach Brian Cowen at Annual Fianna Fáil Wolfe Tone commemoration, Bodenstown, 18 October 2009 (pic: Donal Doherty, Lensmen/Irish Photo Archive)
10.Visiting the Mountainview Resource Centre, Blanchardstown, in his own constituency of Dublin West (pic: Frank McGrath, Independent News and Media).
11.Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan arriving at the Treasury Building, July 2009 (pic: Cyril Byrne, Irish Times)
12.Giving a briefing on the legislation to establish NAMA, November 2009 (pic: Brenda Fitzsimons, Irish Times)
13.At a media briefing with Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Government Buildings February 2010 (pic: Sasko Lazarov, RollingNews.ie)
14.Speaking at the Annual Michael Collins commemoration, Béal na Bláth, Co. Cork, August 2010 (pic: Eamonn Farrell, RollingNews.ie)
15.Making a point to Christine Lagarde, the French Finance Minister, EU Finance Ministers meeting, Brussels, January 2011 (pic: © Peter Cavanagh,www.irishphoto.com)
16.Waiting for the General Election result in Dublin West with supporters, including Mel Kelleher, Mary D’Arcy, and Margaret Kenny, Coolmine Leisure Centre, 26 February 2011 (pic: Damien Eagers, Damien Eagers Photography)
