Bertie – The First Movement
Tonight the four part documentary concerning former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern commenced on RTÉ One, a slick production it provides for an intriguing piece of viewing, even for us political anoraks who would have been fairly familiar with the works of his Drumcondra mafia and their ultimate goal of placing their man in the highest office in the State. A creation of Mint Productions, makers of one of the most compelling works of political documentary, “Haughey,” that has graced our screens in recent years, it continues in much the same vein, interviews with key figures of past and present, delving into the photographic and video archives of over thirty years ago in an attempt to portray a man whose true views have eluded so many as he somehow crafted a lengthy political career by so rarely exposing his true opinions and biases. From the viewpoint of an, admittedly young, party member who is somewhat knowledgeable in the internal structures of Fianna Fáil it amused me to hear of the acquisition of paper cumainn and those held by rather elderly members and stuffing them with one’s own followers. Little has changed in the last quarter of a century.
Undoubtedly Ahern’s greatest legacy was in an ability to be a true conciliator, from the first days of social partnership to his negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland, the man possessed an incredibly rare ability to bring all sides to a table, with so very many differences, and yet salvage some form of agreement. Now ideologically one may argue this is not always the best course of action, however it is difficult to dispute a formula which apparently worked for over twenty years from his time as Minister of Labour to Taoiseach. It is a trait which his successor appears to be sorely lacking, of course economic circumstances are far tougher than Ahern had to deal with but somehow one feels he would better navigate this shaky ship and never tolerate the shambolic performances of the likes of Mary Coughlan at the front of Government.
Tune in next Monday at 9:35pm to witness the quick ascent of the seemingly ordinary Dub through the ministerial ranks. The demise of Haughey, the rise of Reynolds, the start of the Celtic Tiger, truly they were the days….
Tags: Bertie, Bertie Ahern, Haughey, RTE, Taoiseach, Television
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