The Greatness of Haughey

[hammer]

Head-sized paper bags were hard to find back in the late 1970's.

Ouch

[devog]

Rise and follow Charlie

[Con Gallagher]

This week 20 years ago the Haughey era came to an end. It may be too soon to assess his legacy with any objective analysis.

But what is mildly interesting about this thread (started during the height of the boom) is the character rehabilitation which was going on - the economy (actually implementing a programme for government), the initial meetings of the peace process and the vision thing. A thread started now, would be overcome with comments that he spawned Bertie, he did no good at all (really?), he deserved a painful death etc rather than he undermined the rule of law, his weakness was his greed and vanity and his quest above all for power at any price.

[jo9jo]

Ouch

Definitely a contender for "post of the year".

[owedtojoy]

Rise and follow Charlie

Every time I think of the little sleeveen bollix kept man, my stomach does just that.

[walrusgumble]

I was only a baby when he was in power, but what I gather is that he was horribly corrupt and almost bankrupted the country by massive overspending in the early 80s. If this is the case, surely it outweights anything he achieved?
As for starting the PP, nearly every party and group started it, I don't think any one person can take credit for it.

Oh dear lord.

Fine Gael refused to speak to Sinn Féin and the IRA. If it was left to Fine Gael ,there would not have been a peace process. Fine Gael ,especially under Bruton (not so much under Gareth, but even that is arguable) did not do this country any service during this period.

Haughey in fairness, did start things off, via Martin Manseragh. It was easier for Albert as he was not stuck with the past. Albert did do a lot and meet alot of Unionists via his informal ways - A real finger in the eye to FG who were mad keen to kneel to the Unionists. Naturally, Haughey could not been seen to get invovled. Jebus, the Don Tiddy abduction was only recent. Moreover, people blame Haughey for the start of the Provo's.

Haughey, whether people like it or not, had the ability to be the greatest Taoiseach of our time, but he trusted the wrong people and had a very complex mental attitude.

[walrusgumble]

Do not be name dropping like that. There is much I would give out to Harney about but she stood up to Charlie when her contemporaries were grovelling to him.

And then ,


the second her new party goes into power, joins a coalition with Haughey. Great. Big Thumbs up there.

[walrusgumble]

Most banana republics have tinpot despots. With Charlie, Ireland had a teapot teeshock.

Doesn't say alot for Gareth Fitzgerald or Dick Spring who could not keep him out of power.

I doubt that you were threatened with jail or your life depending on how you voted