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Uno duce, una voce: The story behind THAT infamous PJ Mara remark

The late Fianna Fáil advisor came to public prominence in 1985 after an infamous comment about Charlie Haughey… and accompanying goose step.

IT’S UNLIKELY ANY other former government press secretaries will be mourned as publicly as PJ Mara has been over the last 24 hours, but then he was much more than that.

Mara played a central role in Fianna Fáil’s dominance of Irish politics in the late 80s and early 90s and was perhaps Charlie Haughey’s closest political confidante.

Between 1997 and 2007 he masterminded three consecutive election wins for Bertie Ahern. At the launch of the 2002 campaign he famously told journalists: “Okay folks, it’s showtime!”

FF Health Manifestos Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Not long after the near obliteration of Fianna Fáil in 2011, Mara bemoaned the fact that he was too late to save the Brian Cowen government from meltdown, describing the events of that period as “political gaga”.

But his razor sharp political instinct sometimes let him down.  Mara first came to public prominence in early 1985 after Charlie Haughey expelled Des O’Malley from Fianna Fáil while the party was in opposition.

In his book Mara PJ, Tim Ryan writes that Mara was facing questions on the implications of the expulsion in the days leading up to it with O’Malley considered a potential alternative party leader to Haughey.

The then-Fianna Fáil head of press is said to have bluntly declared that the questioning of Haughey’s leadership of the party would have to stop. He told political correspondents:

There’ll be no more nibbling at my leader’s bum.

Government Press Secretary PJ Mara

The book says that Mara then drew on a history lesson from Colaiste Mhuire and declared: “Uno duce, una voce” or ‘one leader one voice’ – a quote infamously linked to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

To underline the point, Mara, who was prone to doing impressions, put his finger across his upper lip, like a moustache, and goose-stepped up and down the political correspondents’ room . The journalists present burst into laughter.

The phrase appeared towards the end of Sunday Press political correspondent Geraldine Kennedy’s column that weekend, but went largely unnoticed. It was only when Haughey’s strongest critic, Conor Cruise O’Brien, used it in his weekly Irish Times column the following Tuesday did it start to generate publicity.

File Photo: Final Programme of Charlie Drama on RTE This Sunday Geraldine Kennedy Eamonn Farrell / Photocall Ireland Eamonn Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Ryan writes that a war of words broke out between Kennedy and Mara about whether the phrase was on the record or not.

Kennedy insisted it was, but the spin doctor believed otherwise, claiming she was the only journalist in the room who believed the comment was for a publication. In an interview with Ryan for the book, Mara scathingly added:

No one else made a note, it was only a joke. But then humour was never Geraldine’s forte

The author writes that Mara was summoned by Haughey a few days later to explain the remark and the controversy it had generated.

File Photo Former Government Press Secretary PJ Mara has died.

He insisted to his boss that it had been a joke and bemoaned Kennedy’s lack of humour. But Haughey told Mara:

Yea, yea, yea. But for f*** sake, Mara, be careful in future, you must resist your base instincts. Put a button on your lip!

But the phrase stuck and was linked to Mara for life.

Ryan notes that some time later an Italian manager of the Shelbourne Hotel – where Mara regularly held court – was leaving for home when he approached PJ and declared that he would miss “my Mussolini”.

The departing manager shook Mara’s hand and added that his family in Italy had been great supporters of the fascist dictator.

Read: Long-serving Fianna Fáil political advisor PJ Mara has died

Mara on Haughey drama: “I’m sure RTÉ will be, as usual, even handed and balanced”

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20 Comments
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    Mute Brian Heffernan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:23 AM

    I was listening to Radio 1 yesterday morning and you’d think Mother Teresa had just passed away.

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:40 AM

    Lol.
    Instead of Al Capone.?

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    Mute Dingleberrycity
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    Jan 16th 2016, 7:43 AM

    The characters are all dying off….

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:39 AM

    “IT’S UNLIKELY ANY other former government press secretaries will be mourned as publicly as PJ Mara has been over the last 24 hours, but then he was much more than that.”
    If that statement is true what does it say about our society.?
    The only thing most good and decent people will remember P.J for is the famous press conference where he tried to gag Vincent Browne,when he insisted on asking questions about the source of wealth of leaders of the Soldiers of Destiny:
    https://youtu.be/F6tQN6H_tVY

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:42 AM

    It’s off the Wall.! all this mourning for these so called “characters”..

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    Mute Maggie
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    Jan 16th 2016, 11:25 AM

    Don’t worry Bertie is here to stay unfortunately

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:42 AM

    Bertie was on tv yesterday talkin bout PJ. Bertie seemed much reder in tge face & especially his honger. Wonder if Cowen & homself are boozing buddies.

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    Mute Colin Forbes
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:10 AM

    Characters?! More like chancers!

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:48 AM

    I would use stronger terms than chancers, but one should not speak ill of the dead-nor of all the suicides which have occurred under the reign of Fianna Fail not to mention the long long waiting lists for housing; or hospital procedures today, for those who cannot afford private health insurance.
    I have no doubt that PJ’s family are very well provided for..

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:51 AM

    No need to speak ill of the dead. Their record of “joint enterprise” in the corruption of our politics, & carpet bagger stroking of the economy,TACA, tents, brown envelopes, etc. will never be erased. Mara may well have been the clean face of the regime, but he loyally defended the indefensible.

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    Mute Prince of Burren
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Showtime as the article refers to. These guys think they are playing a game when it comes to election have they ever wondered the trail of destruction they have left our country in for our children and grandchildren and many more generations to come, refraining from making comments on Mr. Mara rip

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    Mute Mark Dunne
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:09 AM

    Scrap Saturday will never be the same again :(

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    Mute Joe Nah
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:18 AM

    ‘Political strategist – genius – shaper of the political landscape etc, etc,…..’

    So we have ‘Mara’ to thank for the stinking political culture ordinary citizens have had to endure for the last thirty years?

    Thanks a bunch – no doubt Dunphy will be tearing up on the Marian Finnucane show at some stage this week-end.

    Once again the political and media cosies are disappearing up their own asses – all pals together at the end of the day…..

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    Mute James Kelly
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:25 AM

    It would be nice to observe PJ Mara as a throwback to another era but he is not. His style, his tactics, his nudge nudge wink wink persona is still very much alive in the mainstream political parties where honest open transparent debate is to be closed down , scrutiny of waiting lists etc etc is not to be encouraged far less dealing with the myocardial of causes including of course self interest mainly in the medical and insurance sectors. Oh no, KENNY and his ilk need people like Mara as they are simply not up to the job themselves no matter how much native cunning and strokes they think they have in the locker room.
    RIP Mr Mara, you’re legacy is safe

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Jan 16th 2016, 3:13 PM

    They are cunning linguists

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:03 AM

    Much ado about very little – very uninspiring – like the current group of morons I suppose.

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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:38 AM

    Didn’t Fionnuala O’Kelly, aka Enda Kenny’s, wife, work for years with Meara and learnt from the master. Spot the similarities in strategy?

    Happy, clappy, photocalls : whatever you do say nothing much and keep smiling; hang out at international leader photo calls; stay out of controversies, leave the minister to bat, then let Enda sail in for victory when the government has to cave in; stay on message with rehearsed sound bites, no matter what’s put to you; give party opponents a busy portfolio but shaft them when there’s too much heat and it isn’t going away. At election time, promise taxpayer’s money to the loudest pressure group or key voter demographic at election time. And the leadership heave against Enda was handled with classic Haughey manoeuvres. Meara always acted the joker well. Mrs K stays in the shadows.

    FF PR is alive and well, just getting better and better at FG. Plus ca change. High five!

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:44 AM

    Mrs Kenny was Charlies Secretary.

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:55 AM

    And RTE this week carried the press release/threats from Irish Water that the citizens who have boycotted the charges will be hounded through the courts and judgements lodged against their properties.etc.
    How dare this gang in power continue to threaten half the nation because they think they have bought the other half with borrowed money and taxes.!
    RTE carried the “propaganda” that more than half their customers had paid.
    However as one third of their registered customers have private wells and a private supply; when this group are removed from the statistics/lies of Irish Water, then I believe that we will find out the real truth some day-that far less than 50% of the people who are being threatened have paid-or will pay.
    I hope the long grass will reveal an enormous number of angry people in the coming election.!

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:47 AM

    I met PJ in my mid teens in the kate 70s – He seemed to be a nice man, a character definately & was interested in the views of young people. A great operator without doubt – having to deal with contraversaries one after the other.

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