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My dear friends and countrymen,

I am both deeply sad and filled with quiet joy to be writing my final missive to you as Taoiseach. The last month has swerved wildly between sincerely rewarding and genuinely unpleasant, but I hold my head high and say I survived, Ireland survived, we all lasted a full month without blowing ourselves into smithereens. This was, after all, my primary objective for the term. Here follows a rather rambling reflection, and some things for you to ponder as you go to the polls tomorrow.

On Saturday you must choose your next leader, and be it Fionn, Brian Boru or Patton, you must do me one favour. Hold them to to the highest possible standards of excellence, just as you have done me. If they make a promise and fail to deliver, demand either action or explanation, that is your right and responsibility as a voter. Please do not forget, however that the Taoiseach is the most visible and scrutinised person in Ireland. Do not blindly attack due to some unjust prejudice or because of ill-informed bias, inform yourself. If you are still unsure ask! If the answer is inadequate then go right ahead, use your voice and rail against the issue, this is your right and responsibility!

In the last few days I was bombarded with PMs (more even than the usual thirty or so) asking me what I had done, what I would have done differently and of what achievement I was most proud. The answers were difficult to formulate but one thing stood forefront in my mind. Ireland's administrations have long bellowed their support of social justice in the military sphere but not until this month have we ever really done anything about it. For posterity, Ireland's soldiers can look back on the Greek conflict and say truly, as will I, "That was good."

We stopped bickering about which war-games to join and got on with it, no-one lost an eye or a region and the Lithuanian games have served us well, I encourage the next President to honour our treaty with PEACE GC on this matter. I worked closely with Hassan and Emerick, my opposite numbers in the White House and Number 10 and more recently with members of Martin Blumen's administration in the Kremlin. It looks like Russia will be our neighbour for a while yet, do not let the Bear drop off your sights for, as they say in Turkey "The Russians are Deceitful." Many of us helped South Africa defeat her PTO in several ways, and can also hold our heads high in that regard.

My cabinet was overall successful, where there was success it was great and where there was failure, cataclysm. Lord Rhindon was a personal disappointment as I had hoped for more from him, though the full extent of my investigation was inconclusive as the message history was emptied on the communities account and the donations list was bypassed. Cun-Bo-Dawex, however, stepped into LR's shoes with panache, and I am sorry I did not accept his first application in hind-sight. Digits, though he was widely mourned in his passing, failed to inform me personally of his departure, and this was a poor show on his part. Cun-Bo, without being asked stepped into the breech effortlessly. The NUI has had its ups and downs, but Theus Jackus' re-invention of this rusty wheel was excellent, and on behalf of all of us I thank him for that. Ian Arbuckle maintained the health system well and should be similarly praised.

Finally I come to my inner circle, Vyse(Foreign Affairs), Brian Boru(Finance) and Top Gun(VP and Defence). All three had challenging posts now, of all times, and all three exceeded expectations. At a time when Ireland and the world needed stability and calm reassurance these three kept me on the straight and narrow and although only one is running for office this time, it is my profound belief that any of them could run the country like clock-work.

I am all too aware of my failures however, and I call on whoever my successor may be to work on delivering a new citizen message, and to bring the work of an bord cit nua to fruition, as all Ireland will benefit from these two worthy goals, although they fell off my radar due to more pressing concerns.

And so, humbly, I make my way to the state car, for the long, lonely drive from the Phoenix Park back to the family home in Galway. When they ask me what I did I hope to say "I did the best I could, I held it together." Ireland needs a calm and wise President, she seeks a noble statesman, she demands a lion in a shirt and tie. When you're at the ballot box tomorrow ask yourself this, "Is he a lion or a mouse? Can he meet with powers infinitely greater than his own and stand his ground? Will he bring us together in spite of all divisions? Will he make Ireland the country that she not only can be, but deserves to be?"

Vote for the best man for the job, and demand he far exceeds expectations.

It's not an easy job, but if he takes in on, make him do it justice. Candidates: it's the least you can do.

For the last time from this office,
Much Love
AT*