JIM MITCHELL/AN APPRECIATION: Jim Mitchell discovered in recent months that despite his successful liver transplant of two years ago, the cancer had returned. With his beloved Patsy by his side, he bravely accepted it, and his unswerving faith helped him face the crisis.
He faced his final illness with great courage, and devoted time to plan in detail for his family's future and to talk to those dear to him, family and close friends.
Jim's special place was Inchicore, it was there that he and his sisters Hazel, Anne, Marie, Patsy and Jackie B., and his brothers Paddy, Peter Jack, Davey and Gay were born. It is a part of the city with strong traditions and values and the Mitchells shared them.
He was, until recently, president and director of one of the largest junior football clubs in Ireland, Ballyfermot United AFC. He was a lifelong supporter of St Patricks Athletic AFC and, from childhood, a supporter of Manchester United.
The Mitchell family tradition at Guinness goes back six generations, or close on 200 years. His grandfather and great grandfather lived within the brewery. He, too, started his career there and was later promoted to the computer and transport departments. He became a member of the Federated Workers' Union of Ireland.
He would have been a natural member of the Labour Party. He saw Jim Larkin as his patron saint. So why did he join Fine Gael? The split in the Labour movement back in the 1940s didn't encourage him, and he wasn't impressed with the slogan in the 1969 election "The 70s will be Socialist".
He saw Fine Gael, on the other hand, as progressive and social democratic. He felt the Labour Party had not adequately shown how they would resource their new spending plans.
It was when he joined Fine Gael that I first met Jim and we remained close personally and politically ever since. When Patsy and Jim got engaged I threw a party to celebrate and Jim was to later introduce me to my future wife Mary.
His political progress was remarkable at both national and local levels. Within two years of being elected to Dublin Corporation in 1974, he was, at 29, elected the youngest-ever lord mayor of Dublin.
The people of his native city and beyond were soon to marvel at the first citizen living in the Mansion House for the first time in many decades and unearthing tableware and silver in the basement of the house that hadn't been in use for as long. He changed all of that.
He held a number of Cabinet portfolios in the period 1981 to 1987; as minister for justice in 1981, he handled the emotive H-Block campaign and was minister for transport and communications in Garret FitzGerald's 1982-87 government. He was widely respected as an enlightened influence on economic decision-making at the time. He established An Post and Telecom Éireann; brought the spiralling overruns in State-sponsored companies, like CIÉ, under rigorous control; and secured at national level the liberalisation of air traffic, resulting in low-price air fares and the huge development of Ryanair.
Jim was undoubtedly Fine Gael's single most effective electoral asset in the Dublin region. This, combined with Garret FitzGerald's appeal, resulted in the biggest-ever Fine Gael Parliamentary Party victory in the November 1982 election.
During his 28 years in public life, he was elected to three distinct and widely spread Dublin constituencies, securing three seats for the party in Dublin West in June 1981. He had mastered vote management techniques long before his opponents had recognised their effectiveness.
He captured widespread public attention as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee investigating bogus non-resident accounts and, in particular, the activities of certain financial institutions at the DIRT inquiry.
His business-like approach and style in getting to the point were much admired by television audiences and resulted in effective action being taken and sizeable settlements being arrived at.
The huge outpouring of grief in the last few days was due not only to his many political achievements. It was due, in large measure, to his personal qualities, his energy, lack of cynicism and generosity and his ability to relate equally to all.
He was the most loyal of friends - you couldn't get close to him politically without remarking on the huge personal loyalty of his "kitchen cabinet", who were with him through thick and thin, most of them for the last three decades.
Jim adored his five children: daughters Sinéad, Aoife and Caitríona, and sons Ruairí and Neil. Patsy and Jim were admired greatly as a couple; you could not know Jim for long without meeting Patsy. They were both strong individuals and yet the closest of couples I have ever known.
Their home was one of hospitality and warmth and fun. They liked to entertain and an evening would invariably include Jim's analysis of the latest political happenings or the fortunes of the parties in the latest poll results.
Ireland has lost a most inspired and dedicated public figure. Patsy and the children have lost a loving husband and father. I have lost a dear friend. We will keep our many great memories of Jim. We mourn his untimely death yet give thanks for his exceptional life and resignation facing death.
A.F.