P. J. Mara facts for kids

Patrick James Mara (born February 1, 1942 – died January 15, 2016) was an important Irish political advisor and politician. He was best known for being the main political helper to Charles Haughey, who was the leader of Ireland (called the Taoiseach).

P.J. Mara also served as a Senator for short periods in 1981 and 1982. He was the Press Secretary for the Fianna Fáil political party from 1983 to 1987. Later, he became the Government Press Secretary from 1987 to 1992. He also helped manage election campaigns for Fianna Fáil in 1997, 2002, and 2007.

He was sometimes made fun of on a funny radio show called Scrap Saturday on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).

Early Life and School

P.J. Mara was born in Galway, a city in Ireland. He grew up in Drumcondra, Dublin. He went to school at O'Connell's Richmond Street and Coláiste Mhuire. This second school was an Irish-language school run by the Christian Brothers.

When P.J. Mara was still in school, his father, who was a police officer, passed away. He was then raised by his mother and sister. After finishing school, he worked at Boland's Mill for a short time. He had a few other jobs before he started working in the clothing industry.

Starting in Politics

P.J. Mara became very active in politics when he was in his late 20s. His family had always supported the Fianna Fáil party. He tried to get elected to public office many times, but he was not successful.

In 1970, P.J. Mara became very interested in Charles Haughey. This was during a time called the Arms Trial. Mara and Haughey started working together, and Mara became Haughey's close helper and trusted friend. They traveled around Ireland, visiting local groups of the Fianna Fáil party. Mara helped Haughey plan his election campaigns. He also tried to start his own businesses, like selling carpets, but his political goals became more important.

When Charles Haughey became a strong political figure again in the late 1970s, P.J. Mara helped him get support. This support was important for Haughey to become the leader of the party in 1979. When Haughey formed his first government, he chose Mara to be a Senator.

In 1982, Charles Haughey made P.J. Mara the press secretary for Fianna Fáil. This was a big job, even though Mara had no experience in public relations before. He brought new ideas to how the party handled its public image. He even started holding press conferences for the opposition party. He also worked to make Haughey more popular, especially with young people.

For the 1987 Irish general election, Mara used ideas from US politics for the campaign. He talked to many different people to create a plan to help the party win the election again. When Fianna Fáil returned to government in 1987, with Haughey as Taoiseach, Mara became the press secretary for the government. He stayed in this role until Haughey resigned.

Later Career and Work

P.J. Mara continued to be very involved in politics. He was the director of elections for Fianna Fáil when Bertie Ahern was the party leader. This meant he managed the party's campaigns for the general elections in 1997, 2002, and 2007.

From the 1990s onwards, Mara also worked as a public relations consultant. He helped many important Irish business people. In the later part of his life, he worked closely with Denis O'Brien, a well-known businessman.

Personal Life

P.J. Mara married Breda Brogan from Kinvara, County Galway, in 1968. Breda was a model and later started her own clothing company. They had one son named John. Breda passed away in 2003.

Later, P.J. Mara had a daughter named Elena in 2013 with his partner, Sheila. While P.J. Mara was successful in his political career, he also tried some business ideas that did not work out, like selling carpets. At one point, he even found it hard to get a loan to buy a used car.

Death

P.J. Mara passed away on January 15, 2016, at the age of 73. He had been ill for a long time and died at the Beacon Hospital. He was buried in Kinvara, County Galway.

Sources

"PJ Mara: A Legacy". Legacy. RTÉ. No. 2.