A 1989 official visit by the then Taoiseach took place in the midst of a major corruption scandal — and yet it proved to be a highly successful mission for the Irish, writes Ryle Dwyer

State papers revealed justice minister and Limerick TD Gerry Collins had become aware in November 1980 that the well-known manor and estate in Adare, Co Limerick, was due to be sold.

Then taoiseach Charlie Haughey had given crown prince Abdullah a number of gifts during his visit to Ireland in June 1989.

One could hardly imagine a more traumatic political time to visit Japan than late April 1989, when Taoiseach Charles Haughey arrived there

The US feared the Russians could be plotting an undercover Cold War spy base in a disused Cork dockyard, newly declassified government documents suggest.

An interdepartmental group on national security expressed concern at the Government’s decision in 1989 to sell a terrace of Georgian houses in Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, because of the potential for snipers to access them to target politicians in Government Buildings on the other side of the road.

Ireland’s foreign minister privately told the British home secretary that the controversy surrounding the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four cases was “seriously affecting” the relationship between the two nations, state papers have revealed.

Over the weekend Sinn Féin held its annual conference in Derry.

One of the very first lessons in the How To Get Along In Politics Handbook (Haughey, Mandelson et al, 1978) is how to run down the clock in a television or radio studio.

Even if it’s nearly 40 years since Charlie Haughey’s “grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented” became the enduring definition of an era

Being the son or daughter of a politician can get you elected, but may be an unfair point of comparison once you are in office, says Political Correspondent Elaine Loughlin.

A couple who terminated their pregnancy after a test suggested the presence of a fatal foetal abnormality want an inquest to take place.

The solicitor representing the couple that had a pregnancy terminated at the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) after tests showed their baby had a fatal fetal abnormality said they must be “at the heart” of any investigation into the tragedy.

Politicians understand the power of sport and how its reflected glory — never the alternative — can endear them to fans of one code or another.

Table for one? It’s a dreaded phrase for many, with dining solo among top peeves cited by business travellers.

Margaret Thatcher accused the Irish Government of doing nothing to help extradite a priest who allegedly worked for the IRA, state papers have revealed.

Taoiseach Charles Haughey told British prime minister Margaret Thatcher that the Irish government was ‘constantly ballyragged’ by the British and received ‘no credit’ for the work they had been doing, writes Seán McCárthaigh

When he first got into politics Leo Varadkar was seen as a maverick, he was candid, but he quickly became regarded as prioritising spin over substance, writes Michael Clifford.

Such hostility is predictable when you remember that just 19 women have sat at the Cabinet table, the top table in Irish politics, writes Daniel McConnell.

A culture of sexism and misogyny in Irish politics in decades past is laid bare in a book about the role of female politicians.

Sitting high on the cliffs of eastern Inishvickillane the view eastwards to the other Blaskets is simply extraordinary, writes Dan MacCarthy.

It’s not clear whether Pope Francis intends to meet survivors of abuse. It’s the least he must do, writes Fergus Finlay.

A Fianna Fáil TD claims an increasing number of foetuses are being aborted because of clefts.

Is there an official silence on the alleged past British plot to have our former taoiseach, Charlie Haughey, assassinated?

In the midst of the power-sharing difficulties in the North, Ryle Dwyer argues that people should remember how such problems were initially resolved.

They publish the state papers of 30 years ago around this time every year.

The multi-millionaire businessman, Larry Goodman, attempted to squeeze further concessions out of the Charles Haughey-led government in 1987, despite having already secured one of the largest ever state grants for a private company.

Charlie Haughey was warned by loyalist paramilitaries that MI5 ordered his assassination, declassified State papers have revealed.

Charlie Haughey was warned by loyalist paramilitaries that MI5 ordered his assassination, declassified state papers have revealed.

The British PM hit out over cases that collapsed in the Irish courts, writes Seán MacCárthaigh

The first meeting between Charles Haughey and British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, after Haughey was appointed Taoiseach for a second time, in 1987, was described as “friendly”.

This Dáil, with input from senators, is driving debate and to some degree actual decisions to an unprecedented degree, writes Gerard Howlin.

Charles Haughey told the assembled media: “I will not be asking for the Tánaiste’s resignation from the cabinet. I will not be putting him under any pressure to resign, nor will his cabinet colleagues. It is entirely a matter for my old friend of 30 years.”

Back in 1967, on April 11 to be precise, the then minister for finance delivered a very long and very remarkable budget speech. 

WHEN Charlie Haughey declared Irish waters a whale and dolphin sanctuary in 1991 the initiative was, as it should have been, welcomed.

Former Taoiseach Charles Haughey did not want the bodies of three IRA members shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar to be taken home through Dublin, archived British papers disclosed.

Ryle Dwyer recalls the assassination of Kevin O’Higgins and how, many years later, his family decided to have Mass said for his three killers

It remains to be seen if Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar is capable of shaking off the complacency

Numbers of red deer in the two main herds in the lowland areas of Killarney National Park are now believed to be higher than ever, writes Donal Hickey. 

Considering the taste for tabloid fervour across the English Channel, Ireland has something akin to a Gallic disinterest in our politicians’ private indiscretions, writes Clodagh Finn

Enda Kenny is coming under increasing pressure to declare his intentions about his departure as he today becomes the longest-serving Fine Gael taoiseach.

Opinion polls in the welter of accusations over whistleblowers are not a reliable guide to the outcome of an ensuing election, warns Gerard Howlin.

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Albert Reynolds becoming taoiseach, Ryle Dwyer examines a volatile career which saw him scupper coalitions but help build peace.