She defeated Fianna FÃ il 's Brian Lenihan and Fine Gael 's Austin Currie in the 1990 presidential election , the first time Fianna FÃ il had lost a presidential election . She defeated Fianna FÃ il 's Brian Lenihan and Fine Gael 's Austin Currie in the 1990 presidential election becoming , as an Independent candidate nominated by the Labor Party , the Workers ' Party and independent senators , the first elected president in the office 's history not to have had the support of Fianna FÃ il .