Haughey

Saint or sinner? The definitive account of Charles J. Haughey’s life and legacy

He was the most talented and influential politician of his generation, whose presence still looms over the Irish body politic, yet the very roots of his success – his charisma, his intelligence, his ruthlessness, his secrecy – have rendered almost impossible any objective evaluation of his life and work. He is, depending on whom you ask, either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and the forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation.

That is, until now. Based on unfettered access to Haughey’s personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with over 80 of his peers, rivals, confidantes and relatives, Haughey is a rich and nuanced portrait of a man of prodigious gifts, who for all his flaws and many contradictions, came to define Ireland.