Bertie Ahern

Patrick Bartholomew “Bertie” Ahern, born in Drumcondra (Dublin) on September 12, 1951, is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He served as a Taoiseach of Ireland from June 26, 1997 to May 7, 2008. Patrick Ahern was brought up in the working-class Dublin suburb of Drumcondra. His father served during the 1919-1921 War of Independence from Britain and the civil war which followed. He has a passionate love of his country's Gaelic sporting traditions, attending Gaelic football matches. Prior to his position in the Irish Parliament, Ahern was an accountant.

Biography

Patrick Ahern got elected to Parliament (Dáil) in 1977 for the constituency of Dublin-Finglas being Member of the Clinton Global Initiative. From 1978 to 1988, he was a Member of the Dublin City Council. In 1982, he was elected Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and at the Department for Defense. Before he became Taoiseach, he served in the governments of Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds as Minister for Labour (1987–1991) and Minister for Finance (1991–1994).

In 1994, Mr. Ahern was elected leader of his party Fianna Fáil in 1994 and served as Leader of the Opposition charge that held until June 1997. Ahern resigned as Taoiseach on May 6, 2008, in the wake of revelations made in Mahon Tribunal, and was succeeded by the then Minister for Finance Brian Cowen. From January to June 2004, he was President of the European Council. During his professional career he was: member of the International Group dealing with the Conflict in the Basque Country, member of the Inter Action Council of former Presidents/Prime Ministers, member of the Kennedy Institute of NUI Maynooth, member of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Berlin, member of the Varkey Gems Foundation Advisory Board, and member of the Crisis Management Initiative.

Education

Patrick Ahern attended College Commerce, part of the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Special Achievements

He has also been Honorary Adjunct Professor of Mediation and Conflict Intervention in NUI Maynooth, World Economic Forum Agenda Council on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Senior Advisor to the International Advisory Council to the Harvard International Negotiation Program, Director of Co-operation Ireland joint Board of British/Irish Government, and Advisor to the Legislative Leadership Institute Academy of Foreign Affairs.

Learn More

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyhhS1Kt_ng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoVVwenSfwI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDL8ZjXvzVo

External links and References

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3623149.stm • http://www.iman-worldwide.org/about-us/advisory-board/the-hon-bertie-ahern-ireland