Twins' first birthday marks end of bittersweet year for Taoiseach
BIRTHDAY TREAT: Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pictured with his grandchildren, Rocco and Jay, left, at Government Buildings yesterday
Sunday April 20 2008
BEING Taoiseach is simply child's play.
Bertie Ahern was at his desk at Government Buildings as usual yesterday, but he didn't get much work done.
His grandsons Jay and Rocco are one year old today and the outgoing leader had his hands full trying to control the tearaway toddlers.
The last 12 months have been a bittersweet year in Mr Ahern's political career, starting with the triumph of the General Election and ending with his decision to step down from high office.
But he has also spent the time watching his grandsons grow strong and sturdy.
Jay was just 2lbs 13oz at birth and Rocco an even tinier 2lbs 11. Now, they are a real handful.
Ever the doting grandfather, the two youngsters have inherited their grandfather's legendary energy and trying to capture the moment with the birthday boys for posterity provided something of a challenge -- despite the help of mum and Dad, Georgina and Nicky Byrne.
So affairs of state like the Lisbon Treaty were forgotten for the afternoon and Mr Ahern got a taste of what his life will be like after he leaves office.
Not that the Taoiseach has had much time to think about the future.
"I haven't thought at all about what I want to do next and I think I'll probably spend the summer trying to look at things and see what we will do," he said.
"To be honest, I'm looking forward to working hard on a referendum and I will be be working on that as hard as I can until June -- then we will try and enjoy a bit of the summer.
"It will be the autumn, September anyway, until we get back to a bit of normality. I'm going to Kerry with the family for August, as always, and then we'll see about getting back to action," he added.
And it wasn't just Jay and Rocco who were in Government buildings, a host of old friends from Drumcondra and beyond also paid a visit and got the grand tour before Mr Ahern walks away from the Office of Taoiseach.
But after spending the summer with his two feisty grandsons, Mr Ahern may miss the relative calm of simply running a country.
- JEROME REILLY
