PJ Mara: Tributes paid to ‘extraordinarily intelligent’ man

Tributes have been paid to former government press secretary PJ Mara who has died aged 73.

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern described his close friend, who he knew growing up in Drumcondra, and former colleague as "hugely clever and smart". Mara worked as Charles Haughey's press officer and confidant in the 1980s and Mr Ahern's director of elections between 1997 and 2007.

“The first thing is he was hugely clever and smart,” said Mr Ahern. “Sometimes depicted as not so, but very bright, able to handle almost any situation. The tensest of battles in Leinster House, the toughest of days, PJ would be at the heart of it.”

PJ Mara was a “huge contribution to political life” with friends across all political parties, said the former taoiseach. He was also “widely admired in EU Council meetings” and was never afraid to push people aside if they got in his way in the European corridors.

“There was nobody better to be spending time with than PJ. I travelled the length and breadth of the country, we did the famous chicken and chips in the 70s, in the 80s when your money was scarce and jobs were scarce, PJ was always around.”

“I can only think of the laughs, the tricks and the camaraderie wondering how we were going to get Charlie calm down and save all our skins.”

Mara was described as "the most effective campaign director in Irish political history" in a statement from Fianna Fáil.

"He brought immense humour, judgement and commitment to the role," it writes. "As Government Press Secretary for five years he brought a new energy and professionalism to the role which was recognised throughout Europe during the 1990 Presidency of the European Council. "

“Whether it was international statesmen or a local party stalwart PJ was always available to encourage and support. PJ was a true original who it was an honour and a pleasure to know and to work with.”

Journalist Sam Smyth described Mara as an “extraordinarily intelligent” man who always “worked from instinct”.

“Anybody around party politics who knew him knew how formidable he was when he put his mind to it to get things done,” said Mr Smyth. “His record speaks for itself. Bertie Ahern’s three in a row, not many could have done that. And I knew he was extraordinarily proud of that.”

“He really did believe in the State, he loved this country passionately.”

Erudite and very funny

Soccer pundit Eamon Dunphy was a handful of years behind Mara at St Patrick’s National School in Drumcondra.

"He was a fabulous guy. He had the gift of friendship. He was erudite, very well read and very funny," Mr Dunphy told The Irish Times.

Mr Dunphy said Mara loved poetry, particularly the English poets John Betjemen and Philip Larkin.

He recalled the former press secretary holding fort in the Horseshoe Bar in the Shelbourne Hotel, when two prominent English journalists had come to Dublin to report on the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey, "who they thought was a cross between Fidel Castro and Saddam Hussein".

“Who meets them only this erudite man who is reciting poetry? They were clearly very impressed.”

Mr Dunphy described Mr Mara as “enormously charming”, adding that: “He had levels and depths to him.”

Mr Mara became a household name when he featured in Dermot Morgan’s satirical radio programme, Scrap Saturday, in which he was caricatured as a lackey dancing attendance in response to Haughey’s sinister-sounding growling of his surname.

This was not an accurate portrayal, Mr Dunphy said. “He was a multi-layered, multi-faceted man. The notion that he was Haughey’s gopher is not real.

“Everybody liked him. He was a great character. If there’s anything going on upstairs it’ll be much livelier because of him.”

Eileen Gleeson, a former presidential adviser who also worked for Charles Haughey, knew Mara for more than 30 years.

“The cliche ‘there will never be the like of him again’ is so true in the case of PJ Mara,” Ms Gleeson said.

“He was respected by so many people, across the political divide, through the media world nationally and internationally, and through the business community too.

“He was smart, insightful, strategic and a gentleman. He was a superb adviser and a loyal friend.”

Interest in absurdities of life

Former Fine Gael Seanad leader and National University of Ireland chancellor Maurice Manning said he was devastated by the loss of a good friend who was “warm, funny, irreverent, hugely intelligent and widely read”.

“He always got to the heart of the matter and never missed the bigger picture,” said Mr Manning

“He brightened up any company he was in. He had a genuine interest in all people and in the absurdities of human life, especially in politics where there are many.

Paul Connolly, chairman of Unicef Ireland, paid tribute to the former board member of Unicef and expressed his sympathies to Mara's partner Sheila and his children.

“While PJ was best known for his work in the political and communications sphere, it was his deep personal commitment to the cause of children’s rights that drew him to support Unicef’s work for children throughout the world,” said Mr Connolly.

“PJ was a valued director of Unicef Ireland and he brought his vast experience to bear in support of the board of directors.”