 Haughey's personal wealth and extravagant lifestyle (he owned racehorses, a large motor sailing yacht "Celtic Mist", an Inishvickillane island and a Gandon-designed mansion) had long been a point of speculation.He refused throughout his career to answer any questions about how he financed this lifestyle on a government salary.Despite his professed desire to fade from public attention, these questions followed him into retirement, eventually exploding into a series of political, financial and personal scandals that tarnished his image and reputation.