TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will introduce new first lady Michelle Obama to one of Ireland's most infamous rogues, Charlie Haughey, on St Patrick's Day.

The taoiseach will present the first lady with a gift of a literary memoir featuring his notorious predecessor during his visit to the White House on Tuesday.

The Pear is Ripe by Irish poet John Montague is among a selection of presents chosen for the Obamas ahead of the trip.

It tells of a number of meetings with former Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach Charlie Haughey when he was Minister for Finance.

Montague tells of a little-known incident involving Haughey that left guests at a distinguished soirée gasping.

The poet was accompanied by his French wife Madeleine when he attempted to chat with Haughey about the arts.

"But only one thing seemed to interest Haughey," he reveals in the book.

"'Tell me,' he said, those heavy hooded eyes appraising me again, 'How does a boyo from the Clogher Valley manage to get his hands on a bird from Paris?'"

The aghast dignitaries from the art world had earlier been shocked after Maureen Haughey made a remark and her husband interjected, saying "don't bother about her, she knows nothing about art".

The episode illustrating the rougher side of Haughey's Dublin wit rather than what one might expect from a man who claimed a lineage to the High Kings of Ireland may raise eyebrows in the White House, but other tomes in Cowen's selection of presents will soften the impact.

Among the books selected by staff at Hodges Figgis are two volumes of Irish legends for the Obama children, Malia and Sasha.

Earlier last week, the taoiseach's office contacted the Dublin bookstore looking for recommendations for gifts to give the First Lady and her children when Cowen is presenting the president with the traditional bowl of shamrock.

They suggested a limited edition of Montague's colourful memoirs, a book by Bairbre McCarthy called The Keeper of the Crock of Gold and an illustrated edition of The Children of Lir for young Malia and Sasha.

Montague is one of Ireland's leading poets, and celebrated his 80th birthday last month.

He was born in New York to Irish parents but returned to Ireland when he was four and was brought up by two aunts in Garvaghey, Co Tyrone.

He lived in Paris for a while where he was a drinking buddy of Samuel Beckett and worked as the French correspondent for The Irish Times. The book includes stories of his return to Paris where he supported student demonstrations in May 1968 and a moving tale of his return to see the dying Beckett for the last time.

In later life, he returned to academic life and lectured at universities in France, Ireland, Canada and the United States.

His book also chronicles his time teaching at the University of California in Berkeley, which he calls a "sexual laboratory" at the height of Flower Power. Indeed he had to fend off the advances of several students, including one who checked into the hotel when he lived in an attempt to lose her virginity.

The Obamas may get a kick from the poet's eclectic career but might be unlikely to risk his bizarre hangover cure during the St Patrick's Day festival – naked hopscotch on a beach.