John Wilson, who died yesterday, was a former Fianna Fáil tánaiste and long-serving minister.
Mr Wilson, who was 84, was a native of Kilcogy, Co Cavan, and had a distinguished record as an academic and Gaelic footballer when he was first elected to the Dáil, at the age of 50, in 1973.
He knew the then Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch from their days as GAA stars, and was immediately appointed to the front bench. When Fianna Fáil returned to power in 1977, Lynch appointed him minister for education. He was to serve in several ministries, including transport, posts and telegraphs and marine, the Gaeltacht and defence under Lynch's successors, Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds.
In November 1990, he succeeded Brian Lenihan as tánaiste, having failed to secure the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the presidency. He retired from the Dáil in 1992.
He was fond of recalling, with a glint in his eye, that the bookies had him at 100/1 when he first stood for the Dáil. "I'm sorry I didn't have the money to put on myself at the time," he added.
Mr Wilson was educated at St Mel's College, Longford, UCD and the University of London.
An outstanding Gaelic footballer, he won five Ulster championship medals, two All-Ireland medals and one National League medal with Cavan.
One of his All-Ireland medals was won against Kerry in a famous encounter at the Polo Grounds, New York, in 1947.
A classics scholar and linguist, he taught in Letterkenny and Gonzaga College, Dublin. He was also a part-time lecturer in UCD and at St Patrick's teacher training college, Dublin.
As a senior politician, he remarked how he loved being a teacher. "I missed teaching for years after I gave it up," he said.
Staunchly loyal to Fianna Fáil and the taoiseach of the day, his erudition and mastery of oratory were accompanied by a streetwise appreciation of grassroots politics.
In retirement, he expressed regret that he had not spent longer than four years in the Department of Education. He listed his extensive schools building programme as his main achievement. As minister for the marine, he resolved the long-running rod licence dispute, while as minister for defence he opened up all areas of the Defence Forces to women. He was a hugely respected figure within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and throughout the grassroots. During leadership heaves, he was sometimes spoken of as a potential leader and taoiseach.
In 1992, he became embroiled in controversy when he criticised the beef tribunal as a "barrister-fattening exercise". He recalled in an interview, shortly before he retired from the Dáil, that the Northern Troubles drove him into politics. "Quite bluntly, the political division of the country does not make any sense."
He added that the dismantling of barriers within the EU made the Border even more ridiculous.
Listing his influences, he mentioned his grandfather, who was a Fenian, and his father, who was a great De Valera supporter. He praised the "practical ability" of Seán Lemass and the "quiet wisdom" of Jack Lynch.
His assessment of Mr Haughey a year before he stood down as taoiseach was "a tremendous worker and a conscious motivator of people".
Following his retirement, he remained active within Fianna Fáil and was an occasional visitor to Leinster House. In 1998, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appointed him Victims Commissioner and he made a strong appeal to the IRA to identify the burial sites of victims whose bodies have not been found.
He is survived by his wife, Ita Ward, a son and four daughters.
