BRIAN COWEN completed his last official public engagement as Taoiseach in his hometown of Clara, Co Offaly, yesterday when he opened the €2.1 million Clara bog visitor centre and library.
The centre is near Clara swimming pool, a facility that Mr Cowen’s late father Ber Cowen is credited with having brought to the town.
“It is a good community occasion to finish up my career on; it’s where I started and it is where I am finishing, I suppose,” Mr Cowen told those assembled.
The occasion was a relatively low-key affair as local people gathered to pay their respects.
Neighbour and lifelong friend Bobby Kenny asked the Taoiseach to autograph a photograph. “I’ve known him since we were kids, he used to play football in our yard.”
Mr Cowen said he had no plans for his retirement. “Well, I don’t have any plans for the future at the moment. I have just finished an election campaign. I leave office on March 9th, Wednesday. I will do my job until then, and then hand over, and I am thankful to see that the transition to the new administration has been well organised and well done.
“We have been very anxious since the outcome of the election became clear to facilitate a smooth transition, and I wish the incumbent government well, the incumbent taoiseach well.”
Mr Cowen laughed off questions about a possible family holiday. “If I am going to have all the press coming after me, there is no point in going on holiday is there? Are you trying to find out where I am?
“I think, obviously, we will take a bit of time out in due course, but no immediate plans, just to relax for a while and look into other things and see where I will go from here.”