May a Courageous Irish Man R.I.P.

Sad news this morning hearing on RTE of the death of Brian Lenihan, former Irish Minister of Finance, who died of cancer today at age 52.
Lenihan learned that he had pancreatic cancer in December 2009, in the midst of the worst economic crisis ever faced by Ireland and perhaps the western economies since the Great Depression. He continued on with both his brief and chemotherapy until his Fianna Fail party was unseated by Fine Gael in February 2011.
He took on the post of Finance Minister in May 2008, shortly before the housing and banking crisis. Under Lenihan the Irish State guaranteed all the Irish banks in September 2008.Who would have been prepared to handle the banking crisis which was itself a worldwide cancer? It was up to Lenihan to put together the massive cuts of the December 7, 2010, brutal budget.
Listening to RTE, the tributes all deem Lenihan to have been a “decent man” of great personal courage and humor who was dedicated to the work he had been given.
This comes in contrast to some politicians in Ireland, the U.S., Italy, etc., who have no personal dignity whatsoever and find themselves embarrassed and on front pages.
Maybe courage and honor and grace are old-fashioned attributes. But when a man or woman lives with courage or honor, people do take notice and mourn the passing of someone good.