Bertie Ahern, AP PHOTO

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern marked his last day in office by uniting with the Protestant leader of Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley, in a ceremony that highlighted Ahern's legacy as a peacemaker.

On May 6, Ahern hand-delivered his letter of resignation to Ireland's symbolic head of state, President Mary McAleese, officially ending an 11-year run in power marred by a financial scandal.

He was succeeded May 7 by Finance Minister Brian Cowen after Ireland's Parliament, the Dail Eireann, convened to elect a new prime minister.