Paddy Hillery dead (1 Viewer)

[pete]

The former President, Dr Patrick Hillery, has died in Dublin following a short illness.
Always known as Paddy Hillery, he was born in Spanish Point, Co Clare in 1923.
The son of a local doctor, he qualified in medicine and returned to his native town where he followed in his father's footsteps.

Dr Hillery was persuaded to stand as running mate for the Fianna Fáil leader, Éamon de Valera, in 1951: both men were elected, and the doctor was to be a TD for Clare for the following 20 years.
During this time he served as Minister for Education (1959-1965), Minister for Industry & Commerce (1965-1966), Minister for Labour (1966-1969) and Minister for External Affairs (1969-1973).
He was one of the key negotioators during the talks ahead of Ireland's accession to the then European Economic Community, commonly known as the Common Market, now the EU.
In 1973 he was appointed Ireland's first European Commissioner, serving until 1976 when he was appointed President following the shock resignation of Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh.
Three years into his presidency, Ireland received a formal visit by the then Pope, John Paul II. In the background of that high-profile occasion, political and media circles were stunned by rumours of a sex scandall surrounding Dr Hillery.
It was being said that the President had a mistress who was living in Áras an Uachtaráin, that he and his wife were divorcing and he was resigning the presidency.
In fact, there was no truth in the story, but Dr Hillery took the unusual step of denying them at a formal news conference.
In 1981, he declined an invitation to the wedding in London of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.
The following year, he dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, Dr Garret Fitzgerald, whose coalition had lost a vote on the Budget.
Eight years later, during the campaign for the election of his successor, allegations that one of the candidates, Brian Lenihan, had improperly attempted to persuade the President to refuse the dissolution in 1982 became known publicly.
Mr Lenihan refusing to resign, Taoiseach Charles Haughey advised the President to dismiss him, which he did. His defeat in the ensuing election was largely ascribed to that sequence of events.
Dr Hillery refused to confirm or deny the reports underlying them, and had continued to do so since his returement.
He left office in 1990 having served the maximum two terms, widely applauded for his integrity, honesty and devotion to duty.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0412/hilleryp.html

 

[flashback]

You wanna see the alterations he did in the Aras.
The rooms he did up ranged from Saturday Night Fever to Satan's pits of hell.

 

[Janer]

I remember meeting him in Ballymun shopping centre during the mid 70's......

 

[Mormon Nailer]

I never met him but he seemed like a nice man. RIP.

What do people think of the Presidency in General. I remember bumping into Mary Robinson in Heathrow lately - she was just waiting for the shuttle like all the other plebs. It reinded me how I have a respect/loyalty whatever to Robinson that presidents before don't inspire.

I often thught of Hillary as the last in the line of presidents for whom the office was a retirement home, but really does anyone here think McAllese is any different? I suppose her northere heritag suited the times but I can't picture her ever sending a bill back to the dail in the was Robinson did.

 

[flashback]

What do people think of the Presidency in General. I remember bumping into Mary Robinson in Heathrow lately - she was just waiting for the shuttle like all the other plebs. It reinded me how I have a respect/loyalty whatever to Robinson that presidents before don't inspire.

Mary Robinson has a aura, or a weight to her character that has nothing really to do with the Presidency. I knew her (well, my old man was friends with her, I knew her to say hi) before, during and after her presidency (and her UN post).
It doesn't matter what she says, you could be in her apartment in NYC having coffee and she would say something about a nice restaurant and everyone will stop and listen. She is also blindingly smart, so people realise that what she says is usually worth listening to on that level too.

But, there is just a power to the way she says things that is impressive.
Not many people like that. Its her I think, not the position.

I haven't met McAlesse, but I dont think she carries the same gravity at all.

 

[Mormon Nailer]

I think the fact thet she was a constitutional lawyer had a lot to do with it. It seemed to be perfect training for the job. I always thought of her as a head of state protecting the constitution rather than a nice lady to walk the red carpet at rugby matches which would be how I regard her succesor

 

[magnetize]

shit hot golfer too. rip

 

[Scientician 0.8]

RIP

 

[Janer]

I never met him but he seemed like a nice man. RIP.

What do people think of the Presidency in General. I remember bumping into Mary Robinson in Heathrow lately - she was just waiting for the shuttle like all the other plebs. It reinded me how I have a respect/loyalty whatever to Robinson that presidents before don't inspire.

I often thught of Hillary as the last in the line of presidents for whom the office was a retirement home, but really does anyone here think McAllese is any different? I suppose her northere heritag suited the times but I can't picture her ever sending a bill back to the dail in the was Robinson did.

Once Robinson/McAllese took over the presidency IMO modernised for the better.
and that is nothing to do with them being women btw, they were just fresh and full of ideas.