By Lisa O’Rourke
Lord knows, I have asked, prayed and burnt incense to get leadership skills. But, no matter what I do, they have eluded me. I can barely get our Irish Setter, Connie, to sit.
Leadership is something akin to art. It is a little hard to define, but we know it when we see it. Leaders are constantly evolving, stepping up, stepping down and leaving the stage altogether. Does it matter? Some people say no.
A neighbor surprised me with the comment that he wasn’t voting this year. He asked me, “Does it change how you sleep or the taste of your morning cornflakes?” I think that it does.
Wee Michael D
I was introduced to the legend of Michael D. by no less than the Saw Doctors. It’s not every day that a politician is honored with an unsolicited anthem, “Michael D. Rockin’ the Dail,” especially by the Docs.
[video: Michael D Rockin’ the Dail]That is a testimony to the 40 plus years of service that Michael D. has given to Ireland, and the West of the country in particular.
The “wee” part of his nickname is because he is 5’3”. The Lord gave him some large gifts to compensate for his small stature. He has the air of a jolly leprechaun, his body language is warm and he is nearly always smiling.
Within that friendly countenance reside a fierce intellect and the courage to share it. To paraphrase a favorite statement of his, “Why go to the trouble of learning things if you don’t share them?” He might be small, but he stands tall with his often-controversial opinions.
No Silver Spoons
For Michael D., being a man of the people is no act. It is who he is.
He was born in Limerick in 1941, a time when you were more likely to see an ass and cart than a car on the Irish roads. His family was poor, and he was sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Clare.
Talking about his childhood, he said that poverty is a thing that gets in your bones and never really leaves you. Despite lacking other things, the family never lacked things to read. Academia provided a level playing field for Michael D., where he flourished.
Irish Social Justice
Looking at the early images of Michael D., he is more firebrand than elder statesman. He is all ginger hair and pointing fingers.
The lessons learned in his early life gave him a fierce compassion for those in need. It made him a tireless political advocate for them. The courage to speak his mind has made him some enemies.
For example, in the last few years, Michael D. has been one of the Israeli government’s harshest critics. He has repeatedly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in the name of retaliation.
His criticisms are in line with the feelings of the Irish people.
Due to the criticism, Israel closed their Dublin embassy just before Christmas. How could the Irish fail to empathize with colonized, displaced people?
Irish Social Justice
Looking at the early images of Michael D., he is more firebrand than elder statesman. He is all ginger hair and pointing fingers.
The lessons learned in his early life gave him a fierce compassion for those in need. It made him a tireless political advocate for them. The courage to speak his mind has made him some enemies.
For example, in the last few years, Michael D. has been one of the Israeli government’s harshest critics. He has repeatedly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in the name of retaliation.
His criticisms are in line with the feelings of the Irish people.
Due to the criticism, Israel closed their Dublin embassy just before Christmas. How could the Irish fail to empathize with colonized, displaced people?
Irish Presidency
So what does the Irish President do? The position of president in Ireland is essentially ceremonial. It is all attending events and kissing babies.
But Michael D. has put his mark on it. One of his goals was to use his position to help to heal the Irish British relationship. He believes that all parties need to move on from the wounds of the past.
To that end, he was the first Irish president to address the English Parliament and to attend a coronation, Charles’. Those actions led to some eye-rolling on both sides of the Irish Sea.
But Michael D. does Michael D. Not only was he doing what he thought was right, but he also displayed his formidable knowledge and intelligence, quoting everything from the Magna Carta to Sean O’Casey.
Looking at what I have written so far, you might imagine a dour little man. Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the reasons he is beloved must be that he has a joi de vie about him. He is almost always smiling and not half-heartedly, but a full-on beam of a smile.
He has been married to a woman he met and married in his youth, Sabina. As often as he was pictured with his wife, he was just as often photographed with two beloved Burmese dogs, Broda and Misneach. The small man with the big dogs made for some charming portraits.
More than anything, Michael D. embodies authentic Irish culture. He is a fluent Irish speaker and is not shy about inserting some Gaeilge into his speeches every chance he gets. He has patronized and promoted all kinds of Irish arts, particularly writing and theatre.
This last Christmas, Michael D. gave his final holiday address. It was full of reminders of all the people who are suffering around the world:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMn1uOhnkA8
It might have seemed a little depressing, but he is determined to not allow the world to ignore people in need. It feels really Irish, the refusal to turn a blind eye, like much of the world did during the Famine.
But, at 84, he is ready to retire. He had a health scare last year that hospitalized him for a few days. When his term is up, he will finally retire.
I don’t believe that he will go quietly though. Michael D. is incapable of witnessing suffering and war in silence. He is such a warrior for peace, justice, equality and the climate. It seems as long as he draws breath, he will stay that way.
What else could a real leader do? Why would anyone want anything else?
Read more of Lisa’s Akron Irish columns HERE!
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Lisa O'Rourke
*Lisa O’Rourke is an educator from Akron. She has a BA in English and a Master’s in Reading/Elementary Education. Lisa is a student of everything Irish, primarily Gaeilge, and runs a Gaeilge study group at the AOH/Mark Heffernan Division. Lisa is married to Dónal, has two sons, Danny and Liam, and enjoys art, reading, music, and travel, spending time with her dog, cats and fish. Lisa can be contacted at [email protected].
