Answer
Brian Cowen was the Taoiseach of Ireland immediately before Enda Kenny. He served as Taoiseach from 2008 to 2011, during a period of economic crisis. Cowen was a member of Fianna Fáil, and his government was responsible for introducing a number of austerity measures in an effort to deal with the crisis. Cowen's government was defeated in the 2011 general election, and he was replaced as Taoiseach by Enda Kenny.