Sir, – The screening of RTÉ’s biopic of Charles J Haughey has provoked comment, once again, with the same old chestnuts about his flaws, covetousness and personal imperfections, which we’ve heard interminably regarding Haughey since light was publicly shone on these shortcomings over two decades ago.
For example, Kathy Sheridan's piece ("Charlie's devils: how Haughey era's poisonous culture lives on", Opinion & Analysis, January 7th) refers to Haughey's "poisonous" culture and legacy and proceeded down the same well-worn path of clichéd criticism and invective.
If it wasn't Charles Haughey it would have been someone else. It seems to have been practically in Fianna Fáil's genetic make up, not to mention in politics in general (and not just in Ireland). The tendency to venality in the Irish body politic started as far back as the 1930s when Eamon de Valera used the Irish Press newspaper which he'd set up himself to con shareholders investing in the company at a time when Haughey was still in short trousers!
As with many of Haughey’s critics, Ms Sheridan refers to Desmond O’ Malley and his Progressive Democrats as a kind of counterbalance; a force for good set against Haughey’s malevolent Medici prince. I would argue that Mr O’Malley and his party’s neo-liberal economic ethos and legacy have done far greater damage to the fabric of Irish society than Charles Haughey ever did and, furthermore, this agenda and its deleterious effects still persist.
The other constant plank of criticism among many commentators relates to Haughey’s personal style and aspirations and describing his penchant for handmade shirts and a “big house” lifestyle in sneering terms. Apart from this being a classic example of the begrudging attitude that the Irish do so well, this particular form of snobbery implies that some in society are entitled to present themselves in this way whereas for others it only makes them look cheap and tasteless. Essentially, what this says is that Haughey was from a relatively modest, working-class background, therefore why would he crave and aspire to trappings considered luxurious? On the other hand, had he hailed from Dublin 4, Blackrock or Carrickmines, would we have heard this same scornful dismissal of his choice of apparel? I think not.
The other issue is the complete absence of balance in all this. What of Charles Haughey’s many and significant political achievements?
I am convinced that, at some point in the future, the Haughey era and his political career will come to be judged less harshly – in the same way that another taoiseach, voted the most popular in that role only about a decade ago, has surely found that status significantly revised! – Yours, etc,
JD MANGAN,
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Sir, – The RTÉ drama on the political life of Charles Haughey should come with a post-broadcast warning that anyone affected by the issues portrayed can call a counselling helpline. Personally, I couldn’t stick anymore than a few minutes of it. I didn’t need to watch it. I was there the first time round, when his rise to, and rapacious abuse of power, was played out in technicolour with full surround sound.
Charles Haughey’s sole legacy was that he encouraged a generation of acolytes in politics and public administration to reduce public administration to a tawdry racket, designed to enrich insiders and insulate them from any kind of accountability. All the rubbish about him “giving” anything to anyone is manipulative lying. Haughey was paid very well to administer legitimately the public purse. He cannot and should never have been thanked for doing the job he was paid to do.
What he was not paid to do was to seek every opportunity his elevated position of responsibility gave him to seek payments from businessmen, and to threaten those that opposed him, such as the behaviour he exhibited toward the AIB bank when it attempted to call in his debts.
There is only one thing I loathe more than Charles Haughey’s political and social legacy, and that is the degree to which some journalists at the time sat on their hands and consciences, when the heart and soul was ripped out of this nation by the godfather of Irish political corruption. – Yours, etc,
DECLAN DOYLE,
Lisdowney,
Kilkenny.