UK envoy warned that Charles Haughey was a man of "calculating and ruthless ambition

the culture of deference

newly declassified files reveal.

UK ambassador warned that Charles Haughey was a man of “calculating and ruthless ambition

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/envoy-warned-of-a-lsquowily-and-ruthlessrsquo-charles-haughey-in-report-16015151.html#ixzz1Q7waptdS

A candid diplomatic despatch for 10 Downing Street ahead of Mr Haughey's first face-to-face meeting with Margaret Thatcher in May 1980 described the Taoiseach as having a “taste for the good things in life”, but few real friends.


The UK's then-ambassador to Ireland, Robin Haydon, painted a picture of a former heavy drinker who had become a “puritan” in recent years.


“not a deeply religious man and did not mind if someone wanted to worship Ali Baba and the Seven (sic) Thieves”, the file records.



He wrote: “His predominant characteristic seems to be a calculating and ruthless ambition: there is no secret that the office of Taoiseach has been the over-riding objective of his life.”



In a reference to Mr Haughey's notoriously lavish lifestyle and fishy finances, Mr Haydon said the Irish premier's fortune came partly from speculating on property while he was finance minister. The ambassador said the Taoiseach collected antique furniture, owned racehorses, had a “showplace” house and was “immaculately turned out”.



He concluded: “To sum up, I think he is a tough, clever, wily man, no friend of ours, but not, perhaps, actively hostile. He is conscious of his shady past (and present!).”






Sums up the crook nicely. They must have thought we were a backward shower of gombeen men to deal with. I would love to see their files on the churches activities.

TOMASJ

Has to be true, as it came from a UK ambassador

BlaasForRafa

TOMASJ wrote: »

Has to be true, as it came from a UK ambassador

So are you saying that its not true?

dsmythy

Sounds about right.

Fratton Fred

I hear they are also releasing a paper on the Pope, apparently he's Catholic and as for those bears, you'll never believe what they do in the woods....

jurahnimoh

Needless to say if this was their opinion of Charlie imagine the report complied on Brian Cowen!!

mike65

The one about Cowen will be much shorter - this man is a fool

GSF

Ali Baba and the Seven (sic) Thieves

Made me Someone's got their thieves and dwarves mixed up. I hate it when that happens.

Nodin

There is doubtless a captioned picture of a cat that would be a better reply to this than anything I might type....

Dannyboy83

GSF wrote: »

Made me Someone's got their thieves and dwarves mixed up. I hate it when that happens.

Well, he didn't have 40 cabinet ministers

Anyone remember this:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/state-papers-1980-fianna-fail-anger-at-builders-over-unfinished-estates-2478369.html

1980 files reveal earlier Fianna Fail bailout for developers

Wicklowrider

Nearly everything in that observation could equally be said of Thatcher

goat2

Wicklowrider wrote: »

Nearly everything in that observation could equally be said of Thatcher

did she own an island, race horses, a huge mansion and a yacht

gizmo555

goat2 wrote: »

did she own an island, race horses, a huge mansion and a yacht

No, that was her son . . . .

TOMASJ

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

So are you saying that its not true?

No, what Im saying is I don't need a UK envoy to tell me that it is Saturday today,

bmaxi

In light of Haughey's involvement in the arms trial and all that accompanied it, it would be surprising if any British government official gave him a glowing reference.
That's not to say that everything Mr Haydon said wasn't true, just that I'm not surprised he said it.

Sunnyisland

Just wondering here was there big time corruption before haughey or did it start with him and followed through ?

Fratton Fred

realies wrote: »

Just wondering here was there big time corruption before haughey or did it start with him and followed through ?

It started with Dev didn't it?

Nodin

So they say. He (supposedly) got the notion that patronage and 'favours' were ok during his time in America, as I think the story goes.

PeterIanStaker

realies wrote: »

Just wondering here was there big time corruption before haughey or did it start with him and followed through ?

He certainly perfected the art.

Nodin

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

He certainly perfected the art.

Degree in Commerce, qualified accountant, qualified barrister. It shows the value of having people with serious education in politics, really.

LLU

jurahnimoh wrote: »

Needless to say if this was their opinion of Charlie imagine the report complied on Brian Cowen!!

Wonder what they said about Mc Creevy!

PeterIanStaker

Nodin wrote: »

Degree in Commerce, qualified accountant, qualified barrister. It shows the value of having people with serious education in politics, really.

Haughey was a waste of a good education.

later12

Nodin wrote: »

Degree in Commerce, qualified accountant, qualified barrister. It shows the value of having people with serious education in politics, really.

I think Willie O Dea has a similar background as a barrister and an accountant. Garret FitzGerald, who brought Ireland to the brink of insolvency, was a PhD economist. Sean Lemass, on the other hand, who modernised the country in his latter career, was a draper.

I dont think this proves anything in particular, execpt perhaps that we attach too much gravitas to our better educated representatives, and aim too much fury at our less well educated representatives.

Nodin

later10 wrote: »

I think Willie O Dea has a similar background as a barrister and an accountant. Garret FitzGerald, who brought Ireland to the brink of insolvency, was a PhD economist. Sean Lemass, on the other hand, who modernised the country in his latter career, was a draper.

I dont think this proves anything in particular, execpt perhaps that we attach too much gravitas to our better educated representatives, and aim too much fury at our less well educated representatives.

That was sort of the point allright.

Solair

He was a politician, after all - quite a high percentage of them tend to be like that.

droicead

mike65 wrote: »

The one about Cowen will be much shorter - this man is a fool

this made me laugh ma ass off...thank you!..and who said the truth hurts!

jmayo

TOMASJ wrote: »

Has to be true, as it came from a UK ambassador

Well anyone in Ireland at that time who made those claims about haughey would have had a short career or would be called a blueshirt.
Remember how a journalist who tried to reveal ray burke true dealings was chase dout of his job and out of this country.

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

Haughey was a waste of a good education.

I would have said a waste of oxygen.

later10 wrote: »

I think Willie O Dea has a similar background as a barrister and an accountant. Garret FitzGerald, who brought Ireland to the brink of insolvency, was a PhD economist. Sean Lemass, on the other hand, who modernised the country in his latter career, was a draper.

Funny how everytime we have thread about a dodgy ffer you arrive to tell us about Fitzgerald and how he brought us nearly to insolvency.
Then again he didn't, but the fine muppets in ff did actually achieve that and even worse they did from a much more favourable starting position.

later10 wrote: »

I dont think this proves anything in particular, execpt perhaps that we attach too much gravitas to our better educated representatives, and aim too much fury at our less well educated representatives.

Yeahh lets hear it for jackie healy rae. :rolleyes: