State papers: My Left Foot’s star turn absent for Haughey reception

Then taoiseach Charles Haughey’s dinner for the My Left Foot cast and crew was like Hamlet without the Prince when its star, Daniel Day-Lewis, could not attend, files released by the National Archive show.

Haughey hosted a reception at Iveagh House on March 15th, 1990, in the lead-up to the Academy Awards. The film, about the life of writer and painter Christy Brown, was nominated for five Oscars and would go on to win Oscars for Brenda Fricker and Daniel Day-Lewis.

The proposed guest list was a who’s who of the entertainment industry and included Jim Sheridan, Noel Pearson, Brenda Fricker, Bono, Paul McGuinness, Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, Anthony Cronin, Ronnie Drew and Frances Tomelty.

Daniel Day-Lewis played the role of Christy Brown but when it emerged that he would be in Greece on the day of the dinner, an official urged that Hugh O’Conor, who played the young Christy Brown, be encouraged to attend. He was already on the guest list, along with his parents Mary and John O’Conor.

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Fine wines

Haughey’s guests enjoyed a reception before moving to the ballroom for a dinner of spring lamb and sole, a liqueur bavarois and Irish cheeses, all accompanied by two fine wines – a Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesirs 1987 and Chateau Malescot St Escupery Margause 1982.

Haughey hosted many VIPs for lunch and dinner according to Department of the Taoiseach files released by the National Archives. Other meals were organised to honour U2, Seamus Heaney, Teddy Kennedy and Tip O’Neill, former speaker of the US House of Representatives.

However, overspending on entertainment was a recurring issue. One document noted significant breaching of spending limits on five luncheons and dinners hosted for the SDLP in 1986.

Some £2,896.75 was spent on the five meals – an overspend of £1,334.75 on the allowed rates. (Files: 2021/1/394 – 2021/1/396)