Family refutes claim Haughey turned down operation

The Haughey family has slammed claims made in a new book that former taoiseach Charles J Haughey turned down an operation that may have saved his life following a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The Haughey family issued a strongly-worded statement refuting the claim which is included in a new book, 1916: The Mornings After — From the Courts Martial to the Tribunals’. They described it as “utterly untrue and highly hurtful” and claimed author Tim Pat Coogan had used “fictitious” stories concerning CJ Haughey “to help publicise his new book”.

According to the statement: “The family of Charles Haughey are deeply upset and disappointed at the false claims made by Mr Tim Pat Coogan in his new book, incorrectly suggesting their father refused an operation that could have prolonged his life.