How TV chat show brought down Haughey
An RTE interviewer brought about the downfall of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey “by accident”, a book revealed today.
The controversial politician resigned in 1992 after broadcaster Shay Healy interviewed former Justice Minister Sean Doherty about the 1980s telephone tapping scandal on the Nighthawks chat programme.
Mr Doherty claimed that people within Mr Haughey’s Cabinet knew that he had tapped the telephones of newspaper journalists Geraldine Kennedy and Bruce Arnold.
Mr Healy says in his new book, On The Road, published later today, that he did not realise the significance of Mr Doherty’s explosive revelation until afterwards.
He wrote: “When the show was over and we were standing at the bar having a drink, Doherty leaned into my ear and said ‘In case you didn’t notice, I said something tonight that I’ve never said before.”’
Realising the importance of the story, Mr Healy rang Bruce Arnold when he got back to Dublin and invited him to view the tape.
He wrote: “Doherty had pulled the trigger and Nighthawks had a scoop. He stopped being the scapegoat on Nighthawks that night.
“The story exploded all over the newspapers next day and our show had a huge audience.
“Mr Doherty was so aggrieved at being blamed for so long that he finally snapped and Nighthawks just happened to present itself as the ideal opportunity to exact his revenge.
“A day later Charles J Haughey announced his intention to resign as Taoiseach. Our puny little entertainment show had brought down the most controversial politician of modern times.”
Earlier, Mr Healy had put it to Mr Doherty, who died of a brain haemorrhage in June, that he had been carrying the can for Mr Haughey for 10 years.
Mr Doherty concluded his answer by saying: “I do feel let down by the fact that people knew what I was doing.”
After previously denying all knowledge of the phone tappings, Mr Haughey resigned as Taoiseach and was replaced by Albert Reynolds.
The controversial show was pre-recorded in the Hell’s Kitchen pub, Castlerea, in Mr Doherty’s own constituency.
Mr Healy also said that Mr Doherty quipped to him later: “If I’m elected next time out, it will be your fault... and if I’m not elected next time out, it will still be your fault.”
Mr Doherty regained his seat in the 1992 General Election and held it until his retirement at the 2002 General Election.
A broadcaster and documentary maker, Mr Healy also wrote the 1980 Eurovision winning entry What’s Another Year, which was sung by Johnny Logan.
