Is Bertie Ahern’s shocking yellow pants, when he attended the 2004 G7 summit as EU representative, the extent of which, as far as the Irish are concerned? Yes, let’s also remember that the beautiful Fermanagh countryside around Lough Erne also hosted that August event on behalf of David Cameron’s London government in 2013.
and, before the pedantic police come to our case, let us quickly explain that during the two Irish direct connections to this event – defined as an intergovernmental platform – it was actually called the ‘G8’ in both 2004 and 2013.
In the happier days, in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the so-called “end of history”, Russia has been added to this club of the world’s richest nations since 1997. Moscow’s membership was suspended in 2014 after the first Ukrainian invasion, and after some struggle, Vladimir Putin left the forum definitively in 2017.
The G7 leaders – from the US, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan – are discussing issues such as global financial crashes, bank failures, world disease pandemics and climate change in a burning planet. More recently, for the first time in eight decades, you can add a war in Europe to that list.
So you can easily see why the choice of pants by Bartholomew Patrick Ahern, on the fateful day of June 9, 2004, was a matter for public fixation. The event was hosted by US President George ‘Dubya’ Bush in his near southern American heartland of Savannah, Georgia.
In keeping with tradition, the attending leaders were encouraged by those strange behind-the-scenes creatures, known as “protocol people”, although there are other terms, to “go smart casual”.
Suffice it to say that most of the leaders went along with the capable politicians’ idea of ”coincidence” by throwing away the ties, and finally, perhaps, pulling out the jacket while using the hanging loop to swing it kindly over your shoulder. Gerhard Schroder of Germany, Jacques Chirac of France and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy went that route.
Dubya opted for a little more down-home boldness with a brown two-look jacket.
But Bertie Ahern from Ireland opted for a very outdoor look, with bright yellow trousers, a blue checkered shirt, a cream jacket and brown shoes. Forget the series of interconnected global crises. Listen to the fashion police and watch An Taoiseach enter the dock for various crimes against sartorial conventions.
Dublin and the country’s smartest tailor, the Louis Copeland empire, were consulted and pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of supplying these garments. In mitigation, their attorneys pleaded that they never suggested that these garments be put together as the poshies call an ‘ensemble’.
At this point, it is important to stop pretending to be joking. The G7 leaders are meeting in Bavaria to discuss key issues for all of us – including Ireland – and our interests are represented by two EU leaders from Brussels.
We long for more innocent days and talk of fashion gaffe amidst the beauty of the Erne Lakes.
