Haughey cast long shadow over peace process

Charles Haughey’s towering political presence cast a shadow over events in the North.

Whether in office or in opposition, the Fianna Fáil leader never shied away from what was known in the Dáil as the national question.

Unionists regarded him with a deep suspicion and as a deep green dyed-in-the-wool republican.

However this did not endear him to Sinn Féin and the IRA who looked upon Haughey as a rhetorical republican.

Undoubtedly his family background was the source of unionist antagonism.

Haughey’s parents hailed from the republican stronghold of Swatragh, Co Derry in the North and his father, Sean, was second in command of the Northern division of the IRA before the family fled south of the border.

Throughout his political career Haughey often expressed his desire for a united Ireland.

While this did not endear him to unionists, the IRA was not impressed with his embrace of constitutional nationalism as Taoiseach.

The politics of the North were to play a huge part in shaping Haughey’s career during his formative years in government.

In 1970, he was embroiled in an arms scandal amid claims that he and Cabinet colleague Neil Blaney were engaged in a conspiracy to import arms to the IRA.

Blaney and Haughey stood trial alongside Irish Army intelligence officer Captain James Kelly, Belgian businessman Albert Luykx and Belfast republican John Kelly who would later serve as a Sinn Féin Assembly member.

They were all acquitted following conflicting evidence.

The arms scandal nevertheless cast Haughey into the political wilderness of the back benches of the Dáil.

A hugely ambitious politician, he nevertheless quietly plotted his return and in December 1979 took over as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader in a dramatic comeback, edging out his great rival George Colley after Jack Lynch’s resignation.

Haughey’s initial experiences as Taoiseach and leader of the Opposition in the 1980s were dominated by turbulent times in the North.

While in office, he tried to work with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on a joint solution to the problems of the North.

Their working relationship was tempestuous, coinciding with the political turbulence caused by the 1981 hunger strikes.

Republicans are today still critical of Haughey’s handling of the hunger strikes.

His presentation of a silver teapot to the Conservative Prime Minister during talks in Dublin around the time of the hunger strike is still branded as insensitive by hunger strike supporters.

However, his relationship with Mrs Thatcher was also strained by his refusal to give the Government's backing to European Community sanctions against Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War.

While in opposition, Haughey also voiced his opposition to the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, declaring it “a very sad day for Irish nationalism. There has been a very bad blow dealt to the concept of Irish unity".

Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey today accepted that some unionists were more comfortable with Haughey than Garrett Fitzgerald, the Fine Gael leader who as Taoiseach negotiated the 1985 agreement.

“Probably in some sense Garrett Fitzgerald was viewed as disarmingly benign compared to Haughey but that does not mean he was any less a nationalist,” the East Belfast Assembly member admitted.

“One would argue Haughey wore his nationalism on his sleeve while Fitzgerald did not. However Fitzgerald delivered the Anglo-Irish Agreement which unionists regarded as the biggest blow to their cause since the Home Rule Bill.

“So I suppose in a sense there is some truth in that unionists felt they knew where they were with Haughey.”

Despite declaring his intention to renegotiate the Anglo-Irish Agreement, Haughey showed he was more pragmatic when he returned to office in February 1987.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan today claimed Haughey helped incubate and nurture the peace process.

However the Foyle MP added: “He was also a paradox. As the man who on becoming Taoiseach set out a vision of a new British-Irish approach to the North problem he later made the mistake of opposing the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985 when he was in opposition.

“Yet when he became Taoiseach again, he and his ministers made excellent use of the Agreement – not least to help strengthen the employment legislation in the North but also as a platform for the wider peace process.”

Haughey’s last period as Taoiseach also saw him privately give his blessing to former SDLP leader John Hume’s talks with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams.

He authorised talks between Sinn Féin and a delegation from Fianna Fáil in Dundalk.

Current Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Martin Mansergh, an adviser, met senior Sinn Féin figures.

Gerry Adams later observed: “Charlie Haughey was overly cautious, probably reflecting mainstream Dublin opinion at that time. He certainly was reflecting the view of both governments.”

John Hume, nevertheless, today insisted Haughey helped lay the groundwork for peace on the North's streets by backing his talks with Mr Adams.

“When I started talking to Gerry Adams he strongly supported me,” the Nobel Peace Prize laureate recalled.

“He worked very closely with me in preparation for the whole movement to get a lasting peace and an end to violence with The Downing Street Declaration.

“He privately worked with me in the preparation of that Declaration and he fully briefed his successor Albert Reynolds.

“Charles Haughey made a positive contribution to ending violence and achieving peace on our streets.”