Publican rejected Taoiseach's offers to repay loan
One of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s close friends who helped put up a £39,000 (€49,500) loan for him in the early 1990s revealed today he refused to take the money back four times.
Dublin publican Charlie Chawke said he gave £2,500 (€3,172) as part of two payments Mr Ahern received from a dozen donors to cover the cost of legal bills following his marriage break-up.
He said he was approached on four separate occasions to take the cash back but each time turned it down.
“On at least four occasions … I was asked to accept the money back and I said no. I didn’t want it and I walked away and dismissed it. I didn’t want it back,” the publican said.
He said the last time he was offered repayment was a couple of years ago, but could not be more specific, adding only that Mr Ahern was Taoiseach at the time.
Mr Chawke insisted the money was intended as a loan from a friend, not a political donation or gift.
“I don’t know anything about gifts or otherwise, other than he accepted it as a loan,” the publican told RTÉ Radio.
“This wasn’t a politician accepting money from people, this was a friend helping out a friend, or friends helping friends, and that was the only way I looked at it.
“I’m not involved in politics but I’m a friend for a long time of Bertie Ahern’s. I was only too delighted. I hold the man in the highest of esteem. I was delighted to be in position, it was only £2,500 and I could afford it at the time and it didn’t put me under any great stress.
“I was delighted to be involved helping the man in trying times.”
Mr Chawke denied he was ever approached directly by Mr Ahern for money, insisting it was intended as a gesture of goodwill from friends.
He added that he decided to stump up the cash after talking with other donors in his pub the Goat Grill pub, Goatstown, in south Dublin.
Mr Chawke has since had to have his leg amputated after being shot during a raid at the bar in October 2003.
He was one of 12 donors who paid varying sums in 1993 and 1994 totalling £39,000 in the currency of the day – to help Mr Ahern. Others included well-known political fundraiser Des Richardson and businessman David McKenna.
Several of the dozen are close friends of the Taoiseach from north Dublin.
Others include Joe Burke, a Donegal-born builder who was appointed chairman of Dublin Port Company (DPC) for a five-year term from April 2002 by the then Marine Minister, Frank Fahey.
It was one of several political postings to State bodies at the time that drew accusations of cronyism from opposition parties.
Fintan Gunne was one of two associates named by Mr Ahern who are now dead - the other being the Paddy Reilly involved in the first payment in 1993.
Formerly a cattle dealer from Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan, Mr Gunne became one of Ireland’s leading auctioneers and acted for several prominent business figures before he died in 1997.
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