Charles Haughey's Balidaress: The horse that could have changed Ireland’s political history

In 1974, Charles J Haughey decided to sell a home-bred yearling filly against solid professional advice he should keep her. He should have listened. Over time, Balidaress was to develop into one of the most lucrative and influential broodmares of the 20th century. What if Haughey had changed his mind and kept her? Colm Greaves investigates.

Charles Haughey.

On October 23, 1970 Charles J Haughey stood jubilantly among an excited cluster of his supporters at the Four Courts in Dublin. The atmosphere was an uncertain combination of relief, celebration and anger.

A year earlier tribal violence had erupted in Northern Ireland and a plot to ship arms to beleaguered nationalist communities was uncovered. The criminal justice system decided Mr Haughey had a case to answer and so began the most combustible political crisis in the then 50-year history of the State.