Bertie Ahern

[Orangemac]

Did anyone see the Fianna Fail documentary on TV3 tonight?

Bertie was on again,still lying,still deluded. Could have ran for presidency only for Fianna Fail toxic brand, had no bank account in his own name,economy was in good shape when he left.He has claimed something like €250k in expenses since 2008, aside from his massive pension.

How was this weasel so popular for so long? Seems to have few friends left in FF and even Celia Larkin is having a go at him. I suppose economy was going well and he was getting credit for it. Also Gift Grub character probably helped his image.

What I don't understand is that when economy in South was growing steadily with real job creation in 1997, how did FF get into power ahead of FG/Lab government?

[Rossfan]

O'Reilly ran a disgraceful front page article in his Indorag before the 97 election saying how it was time this overtaxing Government was got rid of and let in a Government which would reduce taxes etc ( I wonder who was going to benefit most from that  ).
Also Bruton didnt do  much to progress the Norther peace  situation and probably alienated a lot of Nationally minded people.
Even with all that the FF/PD tycoon lovers only had a small number of seats to spare.

[gerrykeegan]

Saw Bertie going into the Hurling on Sunday, he looked awful, and had a bad limp. I would say no more than a minute later, we met Michael Martin going in, after the public slagging match earlier in the week, they could only have been a few feet from meeting up! It might have been a bit of fun.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Sell-out? The Croke Park Bertie party
03/09/2011 8:00 am
Croke Park will be packed to the rafters for two eagerly-awaited All-Ireland finals over the next few weeks but there will be a decidedly smaller crowd in attendance at the 60th birthday party of esteemed former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on Monday week.

Bertie has booked Croke Park for the event on Monday 12 September. Not the whole stadium, y'understand, but a function room therein.

It's believed the invitations to the event have been designed to reflect the look and feel of match tickets for Croker.

It remains to be seen whether all of Bertie's old allies and stalwarts will make it along to pay homage to their former captain – or whether they'll even be invited to join in the celebrations.

Bertie's ever-plummeting stock took another blow in recent weeks following revelations of the extent of secretarial expenses he has claimed since leaving the office of the Taoiseach in 2008, with the total figure reaching more than €260,000 over the past three years.

The depth of his unpopularity is such that the Irish Independent on Saturday morning felt it could get away with a tongue-in-cheek headline about Bertie's "Dail hanging" on Friday lunchtime - a reference not to any throng-pleasing trip to the gallows, but a painting of the Drumcondra Socialist being positioned alongside portraits of all the other former Taoisigh in Leinster House.

Back to the party, though. Reports suggest that hundreds are expected to attend, although eager GAA fans are being urged to be extra vigilant, given that tickets for Croke Park in September are usually snapped up hungrily and without more than a passing glance at the small print.

You wouldn't want to find yourself with a ticket for an unpopular former politician's birthday party rather than an admittance slip for the first Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland final in 30 years, now, would you?

http://www.joe.ie/news-politics/current-affairs/sell-out-crowd-bertie-to-hold-birthday-party-at-croke-park-0015515-1

[Nally Stand]

I see on politics.ie that Bertie charged a fee of €40,000 for his involvement in the two day Basque/Spanish Peace summit.

Blair charged €180,000, but in the end, didn't go
Kofi Annan charged €110,000.
Some ex-Norwegian Minister charged €26,000
Gerry Adams charged nothing

And the Spanish newspaper 'ABC' has this as their front page story today with berties picture featuring on it.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I see on politics.ie that Bertie charged a fee of €40,000 for his involvement in the two day Basque/Spanish Peace summit.

Blair charged €180,000, but in the end, didn't go
Kofi Annan charged €110,000.
Some ex-Norwegian Minister charged €26,000
Gerry Adams charged nothing

And the Spanish newspaper 'ABC' has this as their front page story today with berties picture featuring on it.

And there are pricks on this board whinging about SF and money!

[Shamrock Shore]

I hear the owners of Fagans in Drumcondra have asked Bertie to stay away from their establishment as it was becoming bad for business when he was there! Bertie still in denial on DCU radio recently.

[Tubberman]

I see on politics.ie that Bertie charged a fee of €40,000 for his involvement in the two day Basque/Spanish Peace summit.

Blair charged €180,000, but in the end, didn't go
Kofi Annan charged €110,000.
Some ex-Norwegian Minister charged €26,000
Gerry Adams charged nothing

And the Spanish newspaper 'ABC' has this as their front page story today with berties picture featuring on it.

And there are pricks on this board whinging about SF and money!

Prob financed it out of petty cash (courtesy of northern bank)