Its not exactly classy to speak ill of the Dead.
And maybe, Death is so much of a tragedy to the bereaved that we should just hold our tongues at even the most unlikely “tributes”.
But sometimes the record just needs to be put straight.
Edward Haughey was born in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland and a successful business man. And in the 1990s sat in the Irish Senate as a Fianna Fail nominee. So far …so predictable.
And then he is appointed to the British House of Lords as a “Unionist”
So clearly not the kinda man who wants to sit in a legislature as an ELECTED person.
Thats the kinda Parliamentaian that he was.
He died a Conservative “lord”.
Lord Ballyedmond of Mourne.i
And he was a multi-millionaire. How was he as an Employer. Well …we cant ask the Union in his Newry factory because he did not actually allow unions about the place. I have heard stories that I certainly believe and none point to his affection for his work force.
And I do know that one of the people I love most in the world had to jump thru hoops just to get a day off for medical reasons.
Presumably Eddies death was on his own time…and not in working hours.
If you ever travel the road from Newry to Kilkeel in County Down….you may notice that there is a very long and very high brick wall along the road.
Thats Eddies Wall. Planning Permission is for ordinary people…not multi-millionaire members of the “Lords”…Eddie threatened that he wpuld close his businesses if he had to bring the wall down.
Such was his contempt for local people.
Actually local people could not access “his” beach at Ballyedmond Castle….Ballyedmond Castle for fecks sake. Have you ever heard the like of it?
Thats the measure of the Man. Classy….Fur Coat, No Knickers.
Of course the Norn Iron Assembly Business Trust have already mourned the Old Sod.
He was a non-parliamentarian(sic) Board member.
Oddly little or none of the above has been mentioned in the glowing tributes this week.
Dare I guess that his grave will be surrounded by a small 12inch brick wall to recognise Eddie Haugheys detachment from mere mortals who are voters, employees at his factory or mere residents of scenic South Down.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
We’d a balanced, 40 minute, report by Wendy Austin who talked about the fantastic dinners she had in his gaff. Somehow, Tony Benn’s death came second. A man with much interest in Ireland and with decades of same.
The interview with Gerry Adams was an indictment on the BBC
Have a look at this: Not about the dead only cows :http://djwolfenden.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/protestant-cows-and-catholic-cows/
🙂
Tony Benn’s death coming second on BBC news is just a measure of the BBC. It annoyed me greatly. The idea that a rich man spending money to climb on people to get on is altruistic is at the heart of what is wrong with the right wing.
Greed portrayed as a virtue.
I thought twice about posting this Blog but it neded to be said.
Having spent the last week “passing water like razor blades” i thank the gods for pharmacueticals.
Strangely enough i’m feeling better and some “poor” sod with an income of £650,000,000 made from pharmacueticals is gone.
I have been there 😦
Allen McClay’s company seemed to be an awful lot bigger than Haughey’s, yet he was way behind in the wealth league. Is this an indication of poorer entrepeneurship on the part of one or skimming off more of the cream on the other?
I live in an area where several work for McClay…he is also dead…at least I think he is.
From what Ive heard McClay held an annual picnic…American style…for his employees.
No Unions there either I think.
But he seems to be talked about warmly.
I think there is a genuine problem for left leaning MLAs in SF and SDLP.
Do they accept the invites to press launches for companies who are hostile to unions?
Or do they adopt a minimalist attitude?
The top five richest families in the UK are the Duke of Westminster who is worth £7.83 billion, businessmen brothers David and Simon Reuben worth £6.93bn, the Hinduja brothers worth £6.03bn, Earl Cadogan is worth £4.16bn and Newcastle United football club owner Mike Ashley who is worth £3.31bn.
These families have a combined wealth of £28.2 billion and the poorest fifth of the UK population only account for £28.1 billion.
Its a total disgrace.