Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen in June 2010
12th Taoiseach
In office 7 May 2008 – 9 March 2011
President	Mary McAleese
Tánaiste	Mary Coughlan
Preceded by	Bertie Ahern
Succeeded by	Enda Kenny
Leader of Fianna Fáil
In office 7 May 2008 – 22 January 2011
Deputy	Mary Coughlan
Preceded by	Bertie Ahern
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Other offices Minister for Foreign Affairs In office 19 January 2011 – 9 March 2011 Preceded by Micheál Martin Succeeded by Eamon Gilmore In office 27 January 2000 – 29 September 2004 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Preceded by David Andrews Succeeded by Dermot Ahern Tánaiste In office 14 June 2007 – 7 May 2008 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Preceded by Michael McDowell Succeeded by Mary Coughlan Deputy leader of Fianna Fáil In office 28 July 2002 – 7 May 2008 Leader Bertie Ahern Preceded by Mary O'Rourke Succeeded by Mary Coughlan Minister for Finance In office 29 September 2004 – 7 May 2008 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Preceded by Charlie McCreevy Succeeded by Brian Lenihan Minister for Health and Children In office 26 June 1997 – 27 January 2000 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Preceded by Michael Noonan Succeeded by Micheál Martin Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications In office 22 January 1993 – 15 December 1994 Taoiseach Albert Reynolds Preceded by Charlie McCreevy Succeeded by Michael Lowry Minister for Energy In office 12 January 1993 – 22 January 1993 Taoiseach Albert Reynolds Preceded by Albert Reynolds Succeeded by Charlie McCreevy Minister for Labour In office 11 February 1992 – 12 January 1993 Taoiseach Albert Reynolds Preceded by Michael O'Kennedy Succeeded by Mervyn Taylor
Teachta Dála
In office June 1984 – February 2011
Constituency	Laois–Offaly
Personal details
Born	(1960-01-10) 10 January 1960 (age 65) Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Spouse(s)	Mary Molloy ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2
Father	Bernard Cowen
Relatives	Barry Cowen (brother)
Education	Cistercian College, Roscrea
Alma mater	University College Dublin
Signature

Brian Cowen (born 10 January 1960) was the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. He became the Taoiseach on 7 May 2008, after Bertie Ahern, resigned after losing a general election on 9 March 2011. He was the leader of a political party called Fianna Fáil.^[1] They were in a coalition government with the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats. Independent TDs (Irish members of parliament) also support his government.

During his time as Taoiseach and after leaving office, Cowen was called by multiple media outlets as the worst Taoiseach in the country's history.^[2][3]

1. ↑ "Cowen 'excited but daunted' by new post". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
2. ↑ Hawkins, Ed (18 January 2009). "Take control or step aside, Mr. Cowen". The Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
3. ↑ Cite error: The named reference worstweek was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).