Michael Commins
THE family of former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey (pictured) are donating the entire personal collection of his private library of books to the Museum of Country Life, Turlough, Castlebar. The extraordinary gesture to locate the collection in Mayo is seen as confirmation of the Haughey family’s special ties with Mayo, the county in which Mr Haughey first saw the light of day.
Born in Castlebar on September 16, 1925, his family moved to Dublin a short time later. His parents, John and Sarah, were both natives of the Swatragh area of South Derry, a strongly nationalist region.
Educated in Dublin, Haughey was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957. He married Maureen Lemass, daughter of then Fianna Fáil party leader and Taoiseach, Sean Lemass.
A source revealed how the family in Dublin has wholeheartedly endorsed the plan to donate Mr Haughey’s private library to the Museum of Country Life in Mayo.
“This is a most generous gesture by the family and one which will be widely welcomed by many people. He had hundreds of books in his library and many will be fascinated not only by the volume but also by the nature of the book material that held such interest for the former Taoiseach.
“Charlie had a great love for literature. He was a passionate reader and his tastes were wide and varied with a leaning to history and the classics. It was no surprise that his final words in Dáil Éireann were a quote from Shakespeare. This is a huge boost for the Museum in Turlough and is sure to attract a constant flow of visitors,” he said.
Charlie’s bond with Mayo came to the fore during the early 1980s when he played a central role in paving the way for the building of Knock Airport down at Barnacogue. He developed a strong personal friendship with Msgr James Horan, PP of Knock. The two men were the chief catalysts for the project. Without the support of Mr Haughey, who acted in a personal capacity and against the advice of some of his own strategists and planners, it is doubtful if the Knock Airport venture would have progressed at all.
He was also the recipient of a Mayo Person of the Year award, the annual honour which is conferred by the Mayo Association in Dublin.
Charles J Haugheydied in his beloved Kinsealy in Co Dublin on June 13, 2006.
