Charles Haughey’s father blamed ill health on IRA service

The father of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey suffered from what would now be called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and blamed his multiple sclerosis on his service in the IRA during the War of Independence, newly released files reveal.

John Haughey, originally from Swatragh, Co Derry, served with the South Derry and Maghera IRA brigades in various roles and afterwards in the pro-Treaty National Army.

His file along with that of 1,442 other individuals have been digitised and made public in the latest releases from the Military Service Pensions Collection.

In his application for a military pension, Haughey said his MS (it was known then as disseminated sclerosis) was “caused by nervous and physical strain during my service in the IRA”.

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At the same time in the 1920s he was suffering from what he termed “nervousness”. He experienced insomnia and would often go for a walk in the middle of the night.

John Haughey was eventually diagnosed with MS in 1933. He left the regular army in 1928 to work on a farm, but his condition gradually got worse.

Bedridden

He had difficulty walking after 1934 and was so incapacitated that by 1941, he was completely bedridden and so affected by the disease that his statement had to be marked with an X as he was unable to write his own name.

In 1942 a doctor, who had examined him since 1926, noted his fits of “marked moroseness and depression” and that his gait was “definitely spastic in character”.

Haughey's claim that his MS was as a direct result of his service was turned down by the Army Pensions Board, but reconsidered on appeal. It was determined that the harsh conditions he endured on the run contributed to the disease.

His disability as a result of his illness was so severe that it was listed as “100 per cent”.

John Haughey received a military pension for his service in the National Army. He also received a disability pension. His wife Sarah (McWilliams) received a pension for her service in Cumann na mBan which ceased in 1923.

Charles Haughey was the third of the seven Haughey children and was born in 1925 while his father was stationed in Castlebar.