It was a real who’s who of Fine Gael, past and present, in the Killeshin Hotel on Thursday night as the Laois branch of the party held a retirement dinner in honour of long-serving local TD and former Minister, Charlie Flanagan.
Tanáiste Simon Harris was the keynote speaker at an event that celebrated a political career that stretched back to 1987 and a family history of representation that goes back all the way to 1943 when Charlie’s father, Oliver J, was first elected to the Dáil.
“Wild horses, jet lag, the Trump administration – nothing was going to prevent me from being here tonight,” said the Tánaiste who had only earlier in the day returned from Washington.
“We are all here tonight to honour the career of our colleague, of our friend, of a proud servant of Laois and Offaly for almost 40 years, truly a giant of the Fine Gael party – Charlie Flanagan.
“Tonight we’re here to honour a legacy, a legacy of public service, a legacy that has helped shape this constituency, a legacy that has left and made such a positive contribution.
“For all of my life you have served with honour, with compassion and with dignity in every role that you have taken on.”
The Tanáiste added that Flanagan had a “reputation for integrity, straight talking (even when it was difficult) and an unwavering commitment to the Laois-Offaly constituency”.
He went on to reference his maiden speech in the Dáil in 1987, putting forward a bill that was “aimed at protecting children who had been failed by their own parents”.
“In 1987 that was not a straight forward as we’d take it for granted today. You demonstrated that clarity of purpose and a steadfast dedication to always trying to do the right thing.
“That was the hallmark of your career … an unshakable commitment to justice.”
Harris added that Flanagan served Ireland “with dignity and skill during a time of significant global uncertainty” during his spells as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Justice.
Over 180 guests attended Thursday night’s dinner, including the likes of former party leader Alan Dukes, former ministers Richard Bruton, James Reilly, Michael Creed, Pat Breen and Andrew Doyle and former TDs Paul Kehoe, Pat Deering, Deirdre Clune, Gerry Reynolds and Charlie McDonald.
Also in attendance was MEP Nina Carbery and former European Commissioner and possible presidential candidate Mairead McGuinness. Current TDs Willie Aird and John Clendennen from Offaly and current Minister Peter Burke were all among the gathering too.
All the Laois Fine Gael councillors – Barry Walsh, John King, Vivienne Phelan, Paddy Buggy and Conor Bergin – were there too as well as a selection from Offaly – Liam Quinn, Eleanor Clendennen and Noel Cribbin – and the party’s longest-serving councillor in the country, Mary Hilda Kavanagh from just across the border in Kilkenny.
Recent Laois councillors Thomasina Connell and PJ Kelly as well as local party stalwarts Gerry Shinnors, Victor Hendy, who acted as MC, Conor Dunne, Jer Bergin, Liam Delaney, Martin and Joe Deegan, among others, were all out for the occasion too.
Unlike a lot of political gatherings – which generally focus on upcoming elections – it was a relaxed social event, peppered with occasional speeches, reflecting on a long political innings.
The slideshow on the big screen was an engaging one too, featuring images of Flanagan, and his father, at various junctures in their careers with an array of different local, national and international figures.
Boris Johnson, Joe Biden, the Obamas, King Charles and Prince William, Nicolas Sarkozy and Ursula von der Leyen were interspersed with Enda Kenny, Leo Varadkar, Martin McGuinness, Peter Robinson and Phil Hogan as well as local ones of a young Leinster Express editor John Whelan and former Fine Gael colleagues Tom Mulhall, Mary Sweeney, David Goodwin and Kathleen O’Brien.
There were even some classic sports images with Johnny Giles, Mick O’Dwyer, Eamon Coughlan and Zach Tuohy.
“It’s an enormous honour to speak here tonight,” said Mairead McGuinness in her speech.
“Charlie is a decent human being with real convictions and he stands by them. That isn’t something you can say about everybody. I value what you have done publicly and privately around Northern Ireland. You stand against violence of any description. You call it out appropriately – not out of anger, out of concern.
“I hope your family realise how we regard you as a colleague and a friend.”
Willie Aird, who was elected to the seat previously held by Flanagan in the last General Election, paid tribute also in a typically good-humoured speech where he said he was on a ballot paper with Charlie Flanagan when Simon Harris was still a toddler.
MEP Nina Carbery also spoke movingly about how Flanagan’s support and advice was hugely valued by her as she took her tentative first steps into the political world just over a year ago.
“I’m overcome with the commentary, with the attendance,” said Flanagan in his own speech.
“I look around at every table at people who soldiered with the party and with me in good times and in bad.”
He thanked his wife Mary and daughters Olwyn and Sophie for their support over the years, acknowledging that the life of a politician’s family isn’t a particularly easy one.
In a self-deprecating address at times, he told the attendance to great laughter, of his father’s advice to him in 1984 ahead of the Laois-Offaly by-election necessitated by the sudden death of Offaly Fianna Fáil TD Ber Cowen.
Flanagan considered standing for convention to be the Fine Gael candidate at the time, which, had he been elected, would have meant a father-and-son duo in the Dáil.
“Before I could even tell my father I was interested he said ‘I heard something about that’. But he said: ‘Mark my words. If you stand in that by-election you’ll get such a hiding from young Cowen that you’ll never be heard tell of again.”
Brian Cowen was duly elected and Charlie wisely decided to hold fire until another day, with his chance coming following the retirement of his father in 1987.
He also touched, though didn’t labour, on some decisions that halted his career at times, going against John Bruton and Enda Kenny in different leadership contests.
“My career was comparable to the children’s game of snakes and ladders. You’re up one day, you’re down the next,” he added.
“I really just want to say thank you to everyone who stuck by me, who had my back, who promoted me, supported me, who helped me. For your loyalty and assistance in the cause over the years.”
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