The year in review

The Catholic Church’s culture of secrecy and cover-up in cases of abuse is starkly exposed in the Ryan and Murphy clerical-abuse reports, which record the horror of the sexual and physical abuse of children, over decades.

To many, Archbishop Diarmaid Martin seems to stand alone in speaking for the Church’s shame and remorse as implicated bishops whose action or inaction added to victims’ distress, refuse to step down. In December, Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray bows to pressure and resigns from his post.



Lisbon is passed at the second time of asking, a relief to under-pressure Taoiseach Brian Cowen. It’s a rare reason to cheer for Fianna Fáil this year – 2009 sees the party slip to 22% in the polls.

In compiling our review of 2009, we had to think about whether our readers would really want to re-read an account of the year’s economic freefall. Looking back at the year, we don’t know how anybody got through it. Here’s the compromise – the next five paragraphs give a recap of the economic lowlights of 2009. We understand completely if you bounce ahead to the Hand of Henri and the ‘Big Freeze’ below…

It’s the stupid economy, stupid…
In January, Exchequer returns show that public finances are now €12.7bn in the red and that tax revenue was €8.1bn behind target in the previous 12 months. It is the state’s largest ever annual deficit. Bank shares lose half their value in one day.

Politicians find a hundred new ways to repeat Charlie Haughey’s “We are living beyond our means’. Brian Cowen does it in numbers, warning that the Government needs to cut spending by €16.5bn over five years. 120,000 people march through Dublin to protest at the public-sector pay levies, and social partnership talks break down in December.

July sees the publication of Colm McCarthy’s An Bord Snip Nua report. McCarthy’s team recommends €5bn worth of cuts, a tea party compared to where we are now. Many of the Bord Snip recommendations make no sense, says Tánaiste Mary Coughlan. Many, she repeats. Many, she says again. Is it refreshing honesty, or a thundering political gaffe?

Dell cuts 1,900 jobs at its Limerick factory in favour of a new facility and cheaper workforce in Poland. In the summer, Liam Carroll is the first millionaire developer borrower to seek the protection of the courts for his Zoe Group, which has borrowings of €1.2bn. The group collapses in October.

We shell out €3.5bn to Bank of Ireland and AIB (each) for recapitalisation and Anglo Irish Bank is nationalised. The April 7 ‘Emergency Budget’ progresses the cuts programme and in the December Budget, Brian Lenihan cuts public pay, child benefit and unemployment benefit. Matthew Elderfield is appointed as head of financial supervision as part of a plan to merge the Central Bank and the Financial Regulator’s office.

Phew…Some year...

Hand of Henri
On November 18, Thierry Henry and William Gallas do little to lift our spirits when they dash Ireland’s hopes of World Cup qualification.

From our report on the night: “Skipper Thierry Henry controlled the ball with his hand before picking out his team-mate William Galls in front of goal, but Swedish referee Martin Hansson and his assistant saw no offence.” Gallas’ goal meant France went through on aggregate.

A devastated Shay Given was a bit more descriptive: “It’s a disgrace, to be honest. How the ref or the lineman can’t see it is absolutely ridiculous.

“I never normally have a go at referees or linesmen, but it is so blatant, it’s disgusting. (Henry) handballed it twice – he stopped it and then pulled it back in. It’s remarkable. We feel cheated by both Henry and the officials. It’s disgusting.”

None of which makes a difference to the result, or to FIFA, who rule out a replay. Fair ‘nuff, says Roy Keane, who calls on all concerned to grow up.

The Big Freeze
The McGyvers among us discovered the socks-over-boots trick during the Big Freeze of 2009. The rest of us slipped and tripped our way about, clutching walls and strangers’ hands with a dogged determination, and slight embarrassment. Pretty scenery though.

The deaths of Michael Jackson, Jade Goody and Stephen Gately take place in 2009, and we also mourn the sad passing of boxer Darren Sutherland at his flat in London.

September sees the break-out of an expenses furore, as John O’Donoghue defends his expenses claims. His ‘legitimate costs’ include €900-a-night hotels and a €1,400-a-day chauffeur during a five-day trip to Cheltenham. The Ceann Comhairle resigns, protesting unfair treatment, in October.

As the year draws to a close, we learn of Brian Lenihan’s pancreatic cancer. He speaks of it for the first time just over a week later, saying he intends to stay in his job, and is fit to do so.

Snow and ice cut short our Christmas and New Year gallivanting but after the year just gone, many of us are glad to close the shutters and burrow inside with family.