The Haughey family were out in force yesterday for the annual Dingle regatta with which the late former taoiseach Charles J Haughey maintained a link for up to 40 years.
The Haughey yacht, the cream and wooden Celtic Mist, was in its usual berth at the Dingle marina, festooned with flags. It stood out among the dozens of new Celtic Tiger-era chrome-and-white speed boats.
For the fourth successive year, Conor Haughey, the eldest son, started the senior cycle of the two-day regatta, the four-man naomhog (currach) championship of Kerry, with a loud shotgun blast, to applause. And he just managed to maintain his foothold on the edge of the rocky marina after the gun discharged heavily.
As a heavy mist came in from the sea, he was urged to pray longer by master of ceremonies Risteárd Williams.
"Normally Charlie would say his prayers and we would have a fine day," said Williams, giving a big welcome to members of the Haughey family.
He also welcomed harbour master Cmdr Brian Farrell and newly appointed sergeant at Dingle Garda station Brendan Sheehan.
Conor was accompanied by his wife Jackie and sons Cathal (10), Joseph (8) and Eoin (2). The family are on a quiet 10-day holiday on the Haughey owned Blasket Island of Inisvickillane, which has no mains electricity and no TV and had timed their holiday to coincide with the regatta.
"Where's my gun? I want the big gun," shouted Eoin, rejecting his plastic toy as the real thing was presented to his father.
Seán Haughey, the TD and Minister of State at the Department of Education also attended.
The local links were important to him and this year he bought a holiday home in Dingle town where he has been staying for the last three weeks, he revealed.
Ciarán Haughey was there too.
In all, seven of Charles Haughey's eight grandchildren - including the eldest grandchild, Seán Patrick (14), son of Seán - were in Dingle yesterday, Jackie revealed.
The family, including Charles's widow Maureen Haughey, attended the annual early morning regatta Mass at St Mary's Church.
Maureen, who was staying at the Skellig Hotel, was well, Conor said, and would not miss the Dingle regatta which she had attended for more than three decades. She was scheduled to attend the prize-giving ceremony late last night.
Strong links with the west Kerry peninsula loved by the late former taoiseach would be maintained, he said. This year he was "told" he was expected to perform the opening. "You're supposed to be there anyway," Bridie Fitzgerald, wife of the former local senator Tom Fitzgerald, informed him when he enquired about it. Charles Haughey is credited by cross-party politicians locally with revamping Dingle harbour in the early 1990s and the building of a marina which now hosts up to 70 yachts every night. Two years ago, the fishermen commissioned and erected a bronze bust of him. It now stands at the entrance to the harbour.
Shortly before the regatta got under way in the main marina yesterday, Eddie Hutch, its longstanding chairman, summed up the attitude of many in west Kerry: "You'd be standing in water now only for Charlie. You'd want to be a saint to be standing here now."
The marina had helped to develop sea rowing, and there were now some 150 young people in the Dingle rowing club, said Hutch. He rowed in the regatta with Conor Haughey back in the late 1970s.
