Never has a man been so reviled and adored in equal measure by his critics and devotees as former Irish prime minister Charles Haughey, who died on 13 June, 2006, aged 80.

Regarded as one of the most controversial politicians of the 20th century, Mr Haughey served three tumultuous terms as Taoiseach (prime minister) in the Republic of Ireland between 1970 and 1992.

Brusque in manner and armed with charisma, political stamina, and unquestioning faith in his ability as a man of the people, he was often subject to accusations about his personal and political conduct.

Yet he confounded critics every time when he would emerge unscathed from allegations that seemed sure to stall his further advancement in political life. It was only in his final years that the truth came out, and stayed, ultimately marring his final years of life.

Charles James Haughey was born on 16 September, 1925, in Castlebar, County Mayo , in the Republic of Ireland . His early years were spent in the Dublin suburb of Donnycarney, where he attended school in Fairview with future colleague and political party rival, George Colley.

An Army career beckoned when Mr Haughey served as a volunteer in the Irish Army Reserve during the years of World War II. But the young Haughey won a scholarship to University College Dublin, where he studied commerce.

Student life gave him his first taste of politics when he was one of a number of UCD students who burnt the Union Jack flag on VE-Day in 1945, in response to the hanging of allied flags on the Trinity College campus.

After university, he went on to become a chartered accountant, and also qualified as a barrister. Despite his Free State family background, he married Maureen Lemass, daughter of the Fianna Fáil Minister and future Taoiseach, Seán F. Lemass.

Mr Haughey was elected as a TD (deputy) to the lower houses of parliament (Dáil) in 1957, and took his first post as a Parliamentary Secretary in 1960. He also served as Minister for Health & Social Welfare (1977–1979), Minister for Finance (1966–1970), Minister for Agriculture (1964–1966) and Minister for Justice (1961–1964).

He became embroiled in the Arms Crisis scandal of 1970, when he was one of two ministers to be sacked for allegedly attempting to import arms into Northern Ireland . At the trial, Mr Haughey admitted arranging customs clearances for a shipment, but added that he did not know the shipment consisted of weapons.

Nine years later, he was elected to the position of Taoiseach, which he held for two years, but failed to make a positive impression in this time. Despite acknowledging the country’s bleak economic picture, he failed to take action to stem the financial crisis, allowing further public spending and inefficient ministers to stay in office.

Despite his initial and unsuccessful stay of leadership, Mr Haughey was elected to the prime minister post on a further two occasions, in 1982, and 1987.

His career was cut short in 1992 when revelations from a former minister left him no choice but to take early retirement.

Retribution descended with a vengeance on the ailing minister, whose final years were dogged by revelations of extra-marital affairs and acceptance of cash gifts from businessmen who funded his lavish lifestyle.

He died of prostate cancer, some ten years after his initial diagnosis a decade earlier, exiting Irish public life as one of the most glamorous and controversial public figures of the past three decades.

On his final day as Taoiseach on 11 February 1992, Mr Haughey quoted from Othello, saying: “I have done the State some service; They know’t. No more of that.”