A critical evaluation of Albert Reynolds

[Defeated Romanticist]

Albert Reynolds presided over two coalition governments and both fell apart. He has the worst electoral record of any Fianna Fáil leader.
Yet he also presided over the birth-pangs of the Celtic Tiger.
He was the first Fianna Fail leader in a generation to accept the consent principle. He insisted on a permanent IRA ceasifire when other would haved been palmed off with less. It was also he who presided over the joint declaration. Without his drive, tunnel vision and even recklessness, it probably wouldn't have happened as it did.
There is a thread on this website which tends to place Albert Reynolds at the lower end of the list of Irish Taoisigh in the abstract medium of greatness. Surely this is not fair. Surely he deserves a better reputation than the one afforded him?

[Eirenua]

There is a thread on this website which tends to place Albert Reynolds at the lower end of the list of Irish Taoisigh in the abstract medium of greatness. Surely this is not fair. Surely he deserves a better reputation than the one afforded him?

Then maybe you would be wiser to make your point on the other thread rather than starting this one.

[Defeated Romanticist]

There is a thread on this website which tends to place Albert Reynolds at the lower end of the list of Irish Taoisigh in the abstract medium of greatness. Surely this is not fair. Surely he deserves a better reputation than the one afforded him?

Then maybe you would be wiser to make your point on the other thread rather than starting another one.

If I did that I would be told to stay on topic. The topic was not individual Taoisigh but all of them. This is about an individual Taoiseach.

[Boss Croker]

Albert Reynolds presided over two coalition governments and both fell apart. He has the worst electoral record of any Fianna Fáil leader.
Yet he also presided over the birth-pangs of the Celtic Tiger.
He was the first Fianna Fail leader in a generation to accept the consent principle. He insisted on a permanent IRA ceasifire when other would haved been palmed off with less. It was also he who presided over the joint declaration. Without his drive, tunnel vision and even recklessness, it probably wouldn't have happened as it did.
There is a thread on this website which tends to place Albert Reynolds at the lower end of the list of Irish Taoisigh in the abstract medium of greatness. Surely this is not fair. Surely he deserves a better reputation than the one afforded him?

I'd agree.
I think you've summed him up very well.
It was that touch of recklessness, next door to vision and moral courage, that secured the Peace Process. Albert never took 'No' for an answer .... from anyone.

I'd put him after Dev and Lemass, on a par with Lynch, and ahead of Haughey and Ahern.

[Boss Croker]

There is a thread on this website which tends to place Albert Reynolds at the lower end of the list of Irish Taoisigh in the abstract medium of greatness. Surely this is not fair. Surely he deserves a better reputation than the one afforded him?

Then maybe you would be wiser to make your point on the other thread rather than starting this one.

Maybe you'd be wiser to stop this obsession with opening, closing, locking and otherwise mucking around with valid threads that goes on far too much around here. The syndrome is obviously contagious.

[cropbeye]

Albert was stabbed in the back twice by Bertie Ahern.



Albert will probably go down as Fianna Fails last decent leader.



Albert could detect the difference between value and fame.


A pity he wasted so much time suing the Sunday Times as if an Irish head of Executive who was his own man could expect fairness in a British court.

[Defeated Romanticist]

Albert was stabbed in the back twice by Bertie Ahern.



Albert will probably go down as Fianna Fails last decent leader.



Albert could detect the difference between value and fame.


A pity he wasted so much time suing the Sunday Times as if an Irish head of Executive who was his own man could expect fairness in a British court.

I would agree with your first point. Berties behaviour in both instances was disgraceful.

Albert Reynolds showed great conviction in ploughing on with what he thought was right when Finaly and Spring came for his head. It seemed fatalistic but it showed he was a man of conviction who wasn't willing to prostate himself and impugn his own integrity in the face of losing power. This was a defining moment for the Fianna Fail-Labour relationship and has damaged FF transfers to labour ever since. It is only pity that he appears to still be so bitter about it. Perhaps it is because he saw it as such an attack on his integtrity that it grates within him to this day. I certainly think he was a decent Taoiseach and that we had a good run of leadership with himself and John Bruton even if Bruton could not equal him on Northern Ireland.

[President Bartlet]

Albert was stabbed in the back twice by Bertie Ahern.



Albert will probably go down as Fianna Fails last decent leader.



Albert could detect the difference between value and fame.


A pity he wasted so much time suing the Sunday Times as if an Irish head of Executive who was his own man could expect fairness in a British court.

I would agree with your first point. Berties behaviour in both instances was disgraceful.

I too agree with your first point - i am still convinced he would have made a better president than the current incubment (2011 cant come quick enough) - after all he deserved the job after the service he has given the state - she did dam all and got it.
Also I think he does not get enough credit with regards to his role in the peace process - without him there would not have been one - he got Major to come along as well as the IRA - the way this peacemaker was subsequently treated will forever be a stain on the body of Irish politics.

[stanley]

Wish the dear boy Albert would do us all a favour and effect a Judas on the Bert and do the State some service as well and also clear up the issue of one story for a Dail Committee and another for the Mahon Tribunal.