During the decade of the 80s, Charles Haughey and Garret Fitzgerald were the two towering figures of political Ireland. Both men personified radically contrasting interpretations of Irish identity and its prospective future. Governed under five separate administrations, both men strived to tackle the dual crisis of political unrest and failing economy prevalent in Ireland at that time. Although their endeavours seemed frequently futile, the outcomes of these failed attempts continue to map out the Ireland we inhabit today.
In the debut segment of the unique Inside Politics podcast series, Pat Leahy and Hugh Linehan explore the making of Charlie and Garret. Born within a year of each other, with roots on opposite sides of the city – one from the north, the other from the south – they were heirs to Civil War soldiers and were divided by class, attitude and convictions. They served as the distinctly characteristic representations of their respective political factions – Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. In this edition, Pat and Hugh chart these influential men’s journeys, from their early life to the preliminary phases of their burgeoning political vocations until finally, as the 70s drew to a close, each ascended to helm their respective parties.