This is the untold story of a great man and his lasting impact on Ireland"s imagination. But was Lemass a breed apart from today"s politicians, with whom people are `fed up"? While highlighting the use and abuse of the Lemass legend, this book shows phenomena such as cronyism with businessmen, tribunals, and jobs for the boys are not exclusive to Ireland"s recent political leaders. This groundbreaking study reveals the man behind the heroic myth. What emerges is the real Sean Lemass: an authoritarian; a cunning, imaginative, workaholic patriot; a shrewd political tactician who exploited deep rivalries; and a man whose impatience lay not just with the old Ireland, but with democracy itself.