Former Taoiseach Dr Garret Fitzgerald and his daughter, Mary Fitzgerald were guests on Miriam Meets this week.
One of the matters discussed was the (in) famous ‘flawed pedigree speech’ delivered by Fitzgerald in the Dail following the nomination of the criminal Haughey as Taoiseach in December 1979.
Fitzgerald’s description of Haughey as a flawed pedigree was a 100% accurate assessment of the criminal’s character.
Everything that has come to light since that day has confirmed that Haughey was/is nothing more than a common criminal who infected the body politic and subsequently the entire state administration with the disease of corruption.
That infection continues to do untold damage to the interests of the Irish people today as Haughey’s flawed successors bankrupt the nation in order to protect corrupt bankers and property developers.
But, bizarrely, Fitzgerald is not proud of his famous speech and constantly apologises for his attack on Haughey. Here’s how Fitzgerald and his daughter responded to questions from Miriam O’Callaghan.
O’Callaghan: You regretted the flawed pedigree didn’t you?
Fitzgerald: It was a perfectly valid remark but it was totally misinterpreted. I simply said that unlike all previous Taoisigh he didn’t enjoy the full support of his party.
Daughter: It was really the wrong word to use; I mean it immediately raised all kinds of connotations which were completely hijacked
Fitzgerald: I mean, I wrote the speech at 4.30 in the morning.
Daughter: Pedigree is an obnoxious word, how you could have used the word pedigree, it wasn’t very bright.
Fitzgerald: No, it wasn’t
I believe Fitzgerald’s regret is all about class, specifically the ruling class of this country.
Haughey may have been a dodgy character, unfit to run the country but he was still a member of the ruling elite and Fitzgerald’s ‘unfortunate’ description of the criminal as a ‘flawed pedigree’ in front of the gathered ruling elite in the very building where they wield power was unforgivable.
It’s clear from the above exchange that the Fitzgerald’s are still apologising to the Haughey’s.
In fairness I think what Garret is apologising for is the way his self admitted wrong choice of words (flawed pedigree) may have been misinterpreted as being a rather euphemistic way of referring to Haughey’s birth legitimacy. Whatever else he was I don’t think that aspect of him is in question.
Flawed political character, would have been a more precise and accurate description. In politics a lot is said from day to day, just as in journalism a lot is written from day to day. It is not surprising that occasionally le mot juste does not come to the tip of the tongue or the keyboard of the typewriter.