Fionnán Sheahan

agree with its origins, but this is where we're at now.

We're a democratic nation.

Take me through to the late 50s, and we had a transition within Fianna Fáil to not so much a new generation, because as you say, Sean LaMasse was another of the 1916 Rising War of Independence, Civil War generation, but he took over the very much modernized, but Fianna Fáil and the nation as a whole.

The 1916 Commemoration Committee were

conscious of the general desire amongst the Irish people that their scope and dignity should further enhance the status of our nation in the eyes of the world.

Yeah, I mean, in many ways, you could say Sean Lemass was the kingpin organizationally in Fiona Foyle.

He had traveled the country from one corner to the other, and he was very focused on the nuts and bolts of organization.

By the 1950s,

There was a feeling that Eamon de Valera, he was in poor health, his eyesight had deteriorated and so on, that he had gone stale.

There was a huge debate in Ireland about the value of independence.

There was even a kind of mutterings of apologize for the condition.

We've left this country and slope back to the United Kingdom with Britain because we would certainly economically be doing better.

Eventually, Eamon de Valera in 1959 was elected president.

to ceremonial ribbon-cutting, went to Orson Welles around the Phoenix Park.

And Sean Lemass takes over, as you say, a veteran of the 1916 Rising War of Independence, Civil War, all of that.

But suddenly a very pragmatic, always a very pragmatic man,

carried very little baggage and was convinced, and now some of this is overstated, but Ken Whittaker, T.K.

Whittaker, the most senior civil servant, he got his head under la masse.

He was the native of County Down, a very pragmatic and determined individual.

He came up with a whole new take on the Irish economy to open it.