Members of Dublin 15’s international community have paid special tribute to Brian Lenihan, the former Finance Minister who died on Friday 10 June after an 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
More than 1,000 people from all walks of life turned out for the 52-year-old’s funeral mass in St Mochta’s in Porterstown, in his Dublin West constituency.
Mourners included his immediate family, public figures and political colleagues, and many Irish and immigrants – some of who were friends of the man who was once a favourite to become Taoiseach.
“Brian Lenihan was a man of impeccable character and great integrity,” said Sheikh Shaheed Satardien, a close friend. “He worked selflessly for all the people of Ireland without discrimination irrespective of their backgrounds, status or affiliation.”
The South African-Irishman said Lenihan was an excellent visionary of peace and a valued friend of many people and groups, including his Interfaith Roundtable and his own Justice and Peace Foundation, which last year honoured him for “his resilience in the face of criticism last September”.
According to Satardien, Lenihan went an extra mile in discharging his duty to Ireland, especially following the recession.
“He could have jumped ship when it sank like many others did, retire with a handsome pension and spend his days of illness with his family. But he sacrificed that for the sake of the country and people he loved more than himself.”
He added: “History will remember him as one of the best brains and level headed sons of this emerald soil in a time of great hardship. He epitomised the saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. He will be sadly and deeply missed by all.
“We pray for his family during their time of sadness and loss. We bid farewell to a great friend who will always be fondly remembered.”
Despite criticism that he was not well informed about world affairs beyond European shores, and his diminished international reputation as a finance minister amid the economic collapse, Brian Lenihan will also be remembered for the help he gave to many immigrants in the Dublin 15 area in recent years.
Priya Rajsekar, an Irish-Indian journalist resident in the area, said: “He got called the world’s worst finance minister and he could have avoided that, citing illness… he took it on the chest like a true warrior.”
She added: “I met him for help with a visa and he did his best… I was surprised by how little he knew about India.”
