Table of Contents
To the Reader 1
1 To the unknown French couple, kissing on the Bridge of Athlone 7
2 To Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook 17
3 To Bráthair Ó Súilleabháin, NUI Maynooth 29
4 To Ann Lenihan, my sister-in-law 41
5 To Katherine Lynch, actress and comedian 51
6 To my dear brother, Paddy 61
7 To my niece, Gráinne 77
8 To George Eaton, chartered accountant, Athlone 85
9 To the Athlone Fianna Fáil Women's Group 99
10 To David Henry, gardener, Athlone 105
11 To Councillor Norma Moriarty, Fianna Fáil candidate, Portmagee Co. Kerry 111
12 To my long-lost cousin Deirdre Lenihan Sloyan 121
13 To Ray MacSharry, former Fianna Fáil minister, Sligo 131
14 To Ronan Wilmot, actor, Dublin 143
15 To Nuala Loftus (née Lally), childhood friend, Dublin 153
16 To Robbie Henshaw, rugby player 169
17 To Mairead Blake, my first cousin, Tullamore Co. Offaly 177
18 To Mo Mowlam, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1997-99 193
19 To Margaret Walsh, political advisor, Department of Education, 1987-92 209
20 To my grandchildren, Jennifer, Luke, Sarah, Sam, James and Scott 221
