Ritchie Ruin - Minister for Hardship

Lest we forget!

Richie Ryan (politician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richie Ryan (born 27 February 1929) is a former Irish Fine Gael politician.
Richie Ryan was born in Dublin in 1929. He was educated at Synge Street CBS, University College Dublin and the Incorporated Law School of Ireland where he received a law degree.
Ryan first held political office when he was elected to Dáil Éireann in a 1959 by-election as a Fine Gael TD for Dublin South West and retained his seat until he retired at the Feb 1982 General Election to concentrate on his European Parliament seat.
In opposition Ryan served as Fine Gael Spokesperson on Health and Social Welfare (1966-1970) and on Foreign Affairs & Northern Ireland (1970-1973).
In 1973 Fine Gael came to power and Ryan became Minister for Finance, an area where he had little experience. He presided over a tough four years in the National Coalition under Liam Cosgrave, during which time Ireland's foreign debt increased and the economy steadily worsened. He was mercilesly lampooned as "Richie Ruin" on the Irish satire show Hall's Pictorial Weekly.