FORMER TAOISEACH Charles J Haughey's 4,000-volume library, including signed biographies by Francois Mitterrand and Mikhail Gorbachev, has been donated to the State.
The library will be put on display by next summer by the National Museum of Ireland's Country Life branch in Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Accepting the gift last night in Collins Barracks Dublin, the chairman of the museum John O'Mahony described the occasion "as one of the greatest honours of my life".
Mr Haughey, he said, had been "deified" by the ordinary people of Ireland: "The name of CJ was magic. He was idolised and loved by the plain people of Ireland." Mr Haughey was "superior" to every other leader that he has known, Mr O'Mahony said he "embodied and embraced" everything that was great in the Irish.
Paying tribute to the Haughey family, Mr O'Mahony said: "Who says that we will not have another taoiseach and leader from that family." The event was attended by Mr Haughey's widow, Maureen; sons Sean, Conor and Ciaran; daughter Eimear; brother, Fr Eoin and sister, Maureen.
Minister of State for Public Works, Martin Mansergh said Mr Haughey had been the first taoisigh "to take an active interest in the environment".
