Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Is léir gur cailliúnt ollmhór do theaghlach, do chairde agus a lucht aitheantais í Brian Ó hIrghile. Tírghráthóir le tiomantas agus paisean dá thír a bhí ann. Polaiteoir den chéad scoth ab ea é a thuig daoine timpeall air go rí-mhaith. Bhí sé uathúil, macánta agus ceannródaíoch ina smaointe. Fear gnó éifeachtach agus rathúil a bhí ann a thuig gnó ag leibhéal idirnáisiúnta agus mar ollamh acadúil ollscoile thug sé treoir iontach agus spreagadh dá mhic léinn.

It is an honour for me as Taoiseach to have the chance to reflect on the life of our late colleague Brian Hillery. Brian passed away surrounded by his family on 19 January 2021. When The Irish Timespublished his obituary, it did so under the headline "One of the great gentlemen of Irish politics". It was a brilliantly accurate description of the man. His particular mix of personal qualities brought him successful careers in academia, business and politics.

Brian and I were both elected to the Dáil for the first time in 1989 and were good friends. We were from different generations but we enjoyed our friendship nonetheless. By the time he was elected, he had already had more than a decade of national political experience as a Senator, had secured an MBA in the US, a PhD from UCD and had served as the first Professor of Industrial Relations at UCD and a visiting Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, to name a few of his achievements. However, he carried all of this very lightly and was always a very charming, warm and engaging colleague. During some turbulent times within the party, Brian was always a rock of sense. Never allowing the political battles to injure personal relationships, he was always someone who could see and understand the bigger picture. As a result, he was in much demand.

Appointed to the Seanad by the then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds in 1992, he left politics in 1994 to become a director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. A series of important directorships and chairman roles followed that, including the Central Bank of Ireland, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission and Independent News and Media.

He was, in short, a very accomplished man but he was also, first and foremost, a committed family man. He was born and raised in County Clare and it was there that he first met Miriam. They married in 1970 and throughout their life together, she was his closest and most trusted adviser. They were true partners. They had five children together: daughter Cliona and sons Conor, Eugene, Brian and Gavin. I know that each of them are very proud of their father's successes but also and probably more importantly, I know they are proud of the enormous and genuine respect and affection that he inspired in everyone he worked with. Miriam, Cliona, Conor, Eugene, Brian and Gavin - your husband and father was indeed a great gentleman. I feel lucky to have known and worked with him and so do we all. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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