Paschal Donohoe became a government minister at a time of great national upheaval.
It was 2014. The country was in an awful state.
Paschal stepped up to the plate.
Sensing the people’s turmoil, he donned a cowboy hat in a whiffy city-centre laneway off Dame Street and pretended to play the guitar while perched on a large bale of hay draped in the American flag.
Well wishes from all sides see Paschal Donohoe off from his time in the Dáil
They had seven years to prepare and yet the inauguration was only grand
After their grand day out at Dublin Castle, TDs were rolling in the aisles in Dáil
Miriam Lord: Connolly’s inauguration was a bit like a big Irish wedding, solemn and joyous
The TD for Dublin Central was settling into his job as minister for tourism and sport when country music superstar Garth Brooks cancelled five Dublin sell-out concerts, leaving 400,000 ticket holders bereft.
And Paschal, smiling gallantly through his obvious mortification, threw himself into the launch of a hastily arranged country music festival aimed at softening the blow for disappointed Brooks fans and recouping a few bob for city businesses losing out on trade.
Looking at him then, grinning like a mad thing for the photographers from that bale of straw in his ten gallon hat, it was obvious that here was a future (thrice-elected) head of the influential Eurogroup of finance ministers and a potential managing director of the World Bank.
It’s over 11 years now since he launched the Dublin Goes Country campaign.
Yesterday, it was time to launch Donohoe Goes Global.
He’s off to Washington DC and the World Bank.
It was a surprise and it wasn’t a surprise.
Surprise in that the announcement came out of the blue.
Not a surprise because everyone knew for some time that Paschal’s star had risen far beyond the confines of Dáil Éireann and Merrion Street.
It happened, in the way things do around Paschal Donohoe – without any fuss.
The word went out on Tuesday morning as the Cabinet was holding its weekly meeting. The minister for finance has resigned from office with immediate effect. Big job with the World Bank. Eh, that’s it.
There would be a statement from the former minister at lunchtime.
Again, no fuss. No drama.
[ Paschal Donohoe accepts World Bank job in worrying setback for GovernmentOpens in new window ]
Journalists waiting in the courtyard of Government Buildings for Donohoe’s departure kept their eyes on the main doors. Civil servants and some government ministers watched from their offices above.
And suddenly Paschal arrived, flanked by Jack Chambers, the Minister for Public Expenditure.
But they walked in off the street, catching everyone out. The former minister quietly but effectively underlining the absolute end of his domestic political era.
There would be no questions.
Jack Chambers didn’t say anything. No other members of Government were present. The big fountain was turned off. There wasn’t a peep from the hacks.
Everything conveying the message that this was not a drama – it was just Paschal moving on, thank you very much.
“Through 10 budgets, I played my role ...” said Paschal, launching into his swansong.
He went through the greatest hits of his decade or so in government. But once he outlined them in detail for posterity he quickly pointed out that his record of achievement was not solely down to him.
“This is due to the people of Ireland, to their work, to their resilience. But political decisions also matter, and I was privileged to play a part in making these decisions.”
He had a long, long list of people to thank.
Some of them, who have worked with him for many years, were struggling with their emotions.
“This is a day of great personal change for them and I can’t thank them enough for what they have done.”
We have seen similar situations where personal staff are left upset and angry. On Tuesday, people who worked closely with Paschal looked like they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“I’m just so delighted for him. It’s great for him, it really is” smiled one, her eyes brimming.
Back in Leinster House, news that Paschal was moving was greeted with the same sort of reaction.
Politicians are people too and, unusually, the outgoing minister for finance was a person liked by most politicians.
In the speeches following the nomination of Hildegarde Naughton as his Cabinet replacement, Opposition leaders did not stray from the path of attacking the Government but all of them had warm words for the departing Donohoe.
The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Sean Canney on behalf of the coalition’s independent supporters spoke so glowingly of their departing colleague we expected the ushers to materialise at any moment with sick buckets for the rest of the chamber.
But with Paschal gone, leaving a big dimple sized hole in the Cabinet, thoughts turned to who would get his job and who else would rise accordingly in the pecking order.
The day’s schedule was hastily torn-up when the Government lost a minister and the Dáil convened to approve the replacement.
This meant Leaders’ Questions had to be abandoned, much to the fury of Opposition deputies. But they didn’t kick up a major stink as nobody but Paschal could be blamed for the unexpected derailment of the normal Tuesday routine.
And nobody would ever do that.
As soon as the Dáil opened for business it was clear that Minister for State, Hildegarde Naughton was in line for promotion to the senior ranks.
She arrived sporting a lovely ministerial hair-do and wearing an exquisite outfit in different shades of green. Everything about it screamed “winner all right!”
Looking a little sad and wistful, Paschal voted for one last time as minister
Helen McEntee was bumped up the ranks from education to foreign affairs. She wore a rich shade of Catherine Connolly purple to signal her elevation.
Meanwhile, observers on dimple-alert picked out Paschal sitting in the back row of the chamber as TDs from all sides of the house beat a path to his pew to offer their congratulations. He then moved to the front bench for the final time.
The Taoiseach informed the House that the President, “acting on my advice”, accepted the resignation of Deputy Paschal Donohoe as a member of the Government.
That’s a lovely start for the two of them.
Micheál will have been encouraged that Catherine acted without demur and she will have been happy enough to see the back of at least one capitalist minister for finance from the Government she opposed on so many fronts.
The Tánaiste couldn’t speak highly enough of his old friend before moving on to say why he was the best man to take over his job in finance.
Then there was a pause to welcome the speaker of the Icelandic parliament, Pórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, and her delegation from the Althing.
Micheál Martin thought this might be the juncture to thank their fellow countryman (and Republic of Ireland football manager) Heimir Hallgrímsson.
“Most certainly” said the Ceann Comhairle, on the ball. “As well as Troy Parrott.”
Then Sean Canney spoke of the wonder that is Paschal, recalling the time that they worked together in 2016 and a nicer, more professional fella you would never find.
“Ireland’s loss is the world’s gain” he quivered.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald led the Oppostion onslaught against Government policy but she was gracious in her tribute to her constituency rival as he leaves public life here.
Labour’s Ivana Bacik didn’t think the departure of a senior minister so soon into the lifetime of the Government was a good look.
The “tetchy Taoiseach” is now joined “by a rather twitchy Tánaiste and a fleeing finance Minister”.
Even Ruth Coppinger had kind words to say to Paschal. “Obviously, I wish you and your family well but I am here to be political,” she said, before launching a barrage of criticism.
Independent Paul Gogarty quoted singer Chappell Roan, as he is wont to do.
Then he said Paschal had been “an outstanding leader in finance”, especially during the tough times.
“I would say he was the veritable Séamus Coleman of his team.”
Looking a little sad and wistful, Paschal voted for one last time as minister.
He left, fielding the good wishes from all sides.
Rare for a high achiever in politics at this level, he arrived without a target on his back and left without one too.
