Bertie Ahern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bertie Ahern
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Ahern in 2006
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| 11th Taoiseach | |
| In office 26 June 1997 – 7 May 2008 |
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| President | |
| Tánaiste |
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| Preceded by | John Bruton |
| Succeeded by | Brian Cowen |
| Leader of Fianna Fáil | |
| In office 19 December 1994 – 6 May 2008 |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Albert Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Brian Cowen |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997 |
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| Taoiseach | John Bruton |
| Preceded by | John Bruton |
| Succeeded by | John Bruton |
| Tánaiste | |
| In office 19 November 1994 – 15 December 1994 |
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| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Dick Spring |
| Succeeded by | Dick Spring |
| Deputy leader of Fianna Fáil | |
| In office 10 February 1992 – 19 November 1994 |
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| Leader | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | John Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Brian Cowen |
| Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht | |
| In office 19 November 1994 – 15 December 1994 |
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| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | |
| In office 4 January 1993 – 12 January 1993 |
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| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Pádraig Flynn |
| Succeeded by | Ruairi Quinn |
| Minister for Finance | |
| In office 14 November 1991 – 15 December 1994 |
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| Taoiseach |
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| Preceded by | Albert Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Ruairi Quinn |
| Minister for Labour | |
| In office 10 March 1987 – 14 November 1991 |
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| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Gemma Hussey |
| Succeeded by | Michael O'Kennedy |
| Minister of State | |
| 1982 | Government Chief Whip |
| 1982 | Defence |
| Lord Mayor of Dublin | |
| In office 24 June 1986 – 26 June 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Tunney |
| Succeeded by | Carmencita Hederman |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1981 – February 2011 |
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| Constituency | Dublin Central |
| In office June 1977 – June 1981 |
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| Constituency | Dublin Finglas |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bartholomew Patrick Ahern
12 September 1951 Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil (1965–2012; since 2023) |
| Spouse |
Miriam Kelly
(m. 1975; sep. 1992) |
| Children |
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| Relatives |
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| Alma mater | College of Commerce, Rathmines |
| Signature |  |
Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former politician. He was the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland from 1997 to 2008. He also led the Fianna Fáil political party from 1994 to 2008.
Ahern was a Teachta Dála (TD), which is a Member of the Irish Parliament, from 1977 to 2011. Before becoming Taoiseach, he was the Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997. He also served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1986 to 1987. He was the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) for a short time in 1994. He also held the important role of Minister for Finance from 1991 to 1994.
Under Bertie Ahern's leadership, Fianna Fáil led three coalition governments. He is the second-longest serving Taoiseach in Ireland's history, after Éamon de Valera. He stepped down as Taoiseach on 6 May 2008. He later rejoined the Fianna Fáil party in February 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bertie Ahern was born in Drumcondra, Dublin, on 12 September 1951. He was the youngest of five children. His parents, Con and Julia Ahern, came from County Cork. His father worked as a farm manager at All Hallows College in Drumcondra. Bertie's brother, Noel Ahern, also became involved in politics.
Ahern went to St. Patrick's National School in Drumcondra. He then attended St. Aidan's Christian Brothers school in Whitehall. For his higher education, he studied at the College of Commerce in Rathmines. This college is part of the Dublin Institute of Technology. After his studies, he worked in the Accounts Department at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
Ahern is a big fan of sports. He supports Dublin GAA and often watches their matches at Croke Park. He also cheers for Manchester United F.C. and attends their games at Old Trafford. He enjoys rugby matches at Lansdowne Road. In 2001, he even appeared as a sports expert on an RTÉ Two TV show called The Premiership.
Starting in Politics
Ahern first got involved in politics in 1965. He helped with a Fianna Fáil election campaign by putting up posters. He joined the Fianna Fáil party when he was 17. In the 1969 Irish general election, he helped with the election campaign in his local area.
Ahern first ran for office in the 1977 Irish general election. This was a big election where Fianna Fáil won a large majority. Ahern was elected as a TD for the new Dublin Finglas constituency. He was also elected to Dublin Corporation in 1979. Over time, he became known for getting many votes in elections.
Early in his career as a TD, Ahern was a regular Member of Parliament. He supported Charles Haughey, who later became Taoiseach. After Haughey won the party leadership, Ahern was appointed as Assistant-Government Chief Whip in 1979.
In 1982, Ahern served as Government Chief Whip in a short-lived Fianna Fáil government. When Fianna Fáil was not in power, Ahern became the party's spokesperson on Labour issues. In 1986, he became the Lord Mayor of Dublin. During his time as Lord Mayor, he helped organize the Dublin Millennium festival.
Becoming a Cabinet Minister
Minister for Labour
In 1987, Fianna Fáil returned to power. Ahern was appointed as Minister for Labour. This department was important for helping Ireland's economy grow. Ahern helped create the first national wage agreement between trade unions and employers. This agreement, called 'The Programme for National Recovery', became known as the 'Irish model'. Other European countries later adopted similar ideas.
In 1989, a new election was called. Fianna Fáil formed a coalition government with another party, the Progressive Democrats. Ahern kept his job as Minister for Labour. In 1990, he helped negotiate another important economic agreement.
Minister for Finance
In November 1991, Ahern became the Minister for Finance. This is a very important role, managing the country's money. He kept this role when Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach in 1992.
After the 1992 Irish general election, Fianna Fáil formed a new coalition government with the Labour Party. This government lasted until 1994. Ahern briefly served as Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) after the Labour leader stepped down. However, the government soon fell, and Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and party leader.
Leader of Fianna Fáil
Bertie Ahern became the leader of the Fianna Fáil party on 19 December 1994. He was the first leader to be chosen without anyone else running against him since 1959.
It was expected that Fianna Fáil would form a government with the Labour Party again. This would have made Ahern the Taoiseach. However, the Labour Party decided to form a government with another party, Fine Gael, instead. So, Ahern became the Leader of the Opposition.
In the 1997 Irish general election, Fianna Fáil focused on Ahern's popularity. While Fianna Fáil gained seats, their partners, the Progressive Democrats, lost many. However, the Labour Party also lost many seats, meaning Fine Gael did not have enough support to stay in power. Ahern quickly formed a new coalition government with the Progressive Democrats and some independent TDs. On 26 June 1997, at 45 years old, Ahern became the youngest Taoiseach since W. T. Cosgrave.
Time as Taoiseach
First Term (1997–2002)
A major success during Ahern's first term was his role in the Good Friday Agreement. This agreement, signed on 10 April 1998, helped bring peace to Northern Ireland. It created a way for different groups to share power peacefully. The agreement was supported by the British and Irish governments, most Northern Irish political parties, and the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
This agreement helped create peace and new political structures. Ahern also became good friends with the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair during these talks. Both Ahern and Blair received awards for their work on the Good Friday Agreement.
During Ahern's first term, Ireland experienced a period of rapid economic growth. This time was known as the Celtic Tiger. People had more money and a better standard of living. The government was able to spend more on public services. However, there were still challenges, especially in areas like healthcare and transport.
Second Term (2002–2007)
In the 2002 Irish general election, Ahern's coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats was re-elected. This was the first time a government had been re-elected in Ireland since 1969.
After the election, there were some financial cutbacks due to changes in the global economy. This caused some public debate. Another important issue was the "Nice 2" referendum, which was a second attempt to pass the Treaty of Nice.
In 2004, Ahern's government introduced a ban on smoking in workplaces and enclosed public areas. This was a significant change for public health. Improvements were also made to transport, like the launch of the Luas light rail system in Dublin and the building of new motorways.
In November 2004, Ahern celebrated ten years as leader of Fianna Fáil. By April 2006, he became the second-longest serving Taoiseach in Ireland's history.
One of Ahern's achievements in 2004 was his time as President of the European Council. During this time, European leaders agreed on a European Constitution. Also, the EU welcomed 10 new member countries. In May 2007, he became the first Irish leader to speak to both the UK Parliament and the United States Congress.
Third Term (2007–2008)
Ahern hoped to win a third general election in 2007. His party, Fianna Fáil, won 78 seats, which was a loss of three seats from the 2002 election. However, this was still seen as a victory.
After the 2007 Irish general election, Ahern was elected to a third term as Taoiseach. He led a new coalition government that included Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, and the Progressive Democrats. This was the first time Fianna Fáil had formed a government with more than one other party.
On 2 April 2008, Ahern announced that he would resign as Taoiseach and as leader of Fianna Fáil on 6 May 2008. On 30 April 2008, he spoke to the United States Congress in Washington D.C. On 6 May 2008, he carried out his last official duty as Taoiseach.
Life After Politics
On 30 December 2010, Bertie Ahern announced that he would not run in the 2011 Irish general election. He said he had planned to step down as a TD before he turned 60.
He mentioned that he wished he had seen the banking crisis coming. He noted that no economists had warned him about it at the time.
After leaving politics, Ahern has been involved in various activities. He was appointed to an international group that advises on solving conflicts. He also serves on the board of Co-operation Ireland, a charity that promotes peace.
Ahern has also worked as a board member for an Irish company and as Chairman of the International Forestry Fund. He used to write a sports column for the News of the World newspaper.
He has given many speeches around the world. For example, in November 2014, he gave a lecture on internet security in China. In February 2015, he received an honorary degree from Washington College in Maryland.
In December 2019, Ahern served as the chairman of the referendum commission for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. This commission oversaw a vote on whether Bougainville should become independent from Papua New Guinea.
In 2023, Ahern rejoined the Fianna Fáil party.
Personal Life
Family
In 1975, Bertie Ahern married Miriam Kelly. They have two daughters: Georgina and Cecelia. Georgina married Nicky Byrne, a member of the pop group Westlife. Cecelia is a well-known author and screenwriter. Some of her famous novels include PS, I Love You and Where Rainbows End.
Bertie Ahern and his wife separated in 1992.
Interests
Ahern is a big sports fan. He supports Dublin GAA and attends their matches. He also supports English soccer team Manchester United Football Club and Scottish team Celtic Football Club. He enjoys rugby matches at the Aviva Stadium.
Governments Led by Ahern
The following governments were led by Bertie Ahern:
- 25th government of Ireland (June 1997 – June 2002)
- 26th government of Ireland (June 2002 – June 2007)
- 27th government of Ireland (June 2007 – May 2008)
Images for kids
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Bertie Ahern's signature
See also
In Spanish: Bertie Ahern para niños
