PJ MARA: The country mourns as it remembers the 'National fondler'

Mara took his lampooning with good grace, realising that people who are upset will not stay annoyed if they are laughing, writes Ryle Dwyer

Patrick James Mara — known to all as ‘PJ’ — was a brilliant political adviser to Charles J Haughey. He served two brief Seanad terms in 1981 and 1982 as one of the Taoiseach’s appointments but he was best remembered for his roles as press secretary of Fianna Fáil in opposition from 1983 to 1987, and then government press secretary from 1987 to 1992 during Haughey’s final period in power.

He demonstrated his brilliance as Fianna Fáil director of elections in the three successful general elections of 1997, 2002, and 2007.