"And by the way, " added DavinPower, "that's a great interview with Charlie in Hot Pressmagazine out this morning."

"Oh. . . yeah?" enquired the half sleepy PJ.

Davin-Power began to read out some of the extracts. It was the most direct, blunt interview Haughey had ever given, and the reporter, John Waters, had quoted him verbatim: ". . .I could instance a load of f**ks whose throats I'd cut and push over the nearest cliff, but there's no percentage in that, " Davin-Power read.

"Holy, divine Jesus, " exclaimed PJ as he jumped out of the bed. The interview had come about through Mara's friendship with Waters, then a budding journalist. Mara thought it would be a good idea for Haughey to do an interview with Hot Press. It would enable him to show another side of his character, be less po-faced.

But Mara got rather more than he bargained for.

In the interview Haughey said he did not approve of youngsters knocking off BMWs for joyrides.

"Although, I must admit, " he continued, "I always had a hidden desire to do something like that. I don't suppose I could say anything like that, now could I?"

The interview gave a rare insight into the young Haughey. The Fianna Fail leader said he regretted he had missed the sexual revolution.

"Ah, now! [laughs] To my dying day, I'll regret that I was too late for the free society. We missed out on that.

You were afraid of guards. Nowadays kids aren't. They just call them 'pigs' y'know? But in my day, if a guard said to you 'F**k off ', you f**k off as quick as you could!"

The interview came to an abrupt end when Waters asked Haughey if there was a particular day in his life he would always treasure.

"Oh, f**k OFF! ! [laughs] No! ! ! You're turning into a f**king woman's diary columnist now!"

PJ Mara travelled to Leinster House by taxi, as usual. He hoped to be in before anyone brought the news to Haughey. But Martin Mansergh was there, and had seen the interview. At 9.15am the buzzer went as usual, and Mara went down the corridor prepared for the worst. But he put a bright face on things. "Good morning.

Beautiful day. Everything going okay?"

Haughey was sitting at his desk, his head resting in both his hands. He didn't look up. "Mara, " he shouted, "you've finally blown it! I'm ruined!

Get out of my sight!" PJ Mara exited without another word.

On his way down the corridor Mara met Brian Lenihan, who had not yet seen the Hot Press interview. PJ was again inspired. "Now listen, Brian, " he began, "you don't know anything that has happened, but this is the story.

"Hot Pressmagazine is for young people. CJH has done an interview with them, but the way it came out is a bit off the wall. What I need you to do is to go in there and tell him it's great."

"Got you!" said Lenihan, and in he went to see CJH. He did exactly as he was asked. "YOU, " roared Haughey, still with his head in his hands, "OUT!"

By lunchtime, however, the Boss had cooled down. Aides persuaded him that the interview would not be taken too seriously. And there was the added benefit that it would appeal to the young. The buzzer rang again, and Haughey, Lenihan and PJ all went out to lunch together. It had been one hell of a morning.