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Ireland in the 1930s (The Blueshirts (De Valera sacked pro-Cumman na…
Ireland in the 1930s
The Blueshirts
obvious Cumman na nGaedhael was gonna lose, upset pro-Treaty, FF opposed state, shouldn't be allowed in, some formed a group called Army Comrades Association (ACA)
attended Cumann na nGaedhael meetings to stop attacks from IRA, ACA wore blue shirts and were given the name of The Blueshirts
De Valera sacked pro-Cumman na nGaedhael Garda Commissioner General Eoin O'Duffy, became head of ACA renamed National Guard
Duffy was an admirer of Hitler and Mussolini, copied practices, straight armed fascist salute, called out Hail O'Duffy, organised marches in towns and cities, led to breakdown of law, attacked by republicans and communists
o'Duffy planned a march in Dublin, De Valera thought he might seize government, prepared IRA to attack, O'Duffy called of march, seen as weak lost support
1933 Fine Gael, Cumman na nGaedhael and National Guard, O'Duffy first leader, forced to resign after calling on government to invade Northern Ireland
1936 O'Duffy formed Irish Brigade to help fascist in Spain during Civil War, many were Blueshirts, others were Catholics helping Catholic churhc
Land Annuities and the Economic War
Many things that upset the Irish from Anglo-Irish Treaty, less talked about land annuities
British gave loans to Irish farmers to buy back land from planters, Irish agreed to repay loan, land annuity
Land annuities annoyed De Valera, FF government 1932 stopped payment, why should they pay to get land that was stolen from them
Britain angry without payment, punished government by putting taxes (tariffs) on Irish cattle, Britain was main market, bankruptcy, big increase in unemployment and also emigration
De Valera, taxes on British goods, Economic War, 'Burn Everything British but their coal', brought to an end Anglo-Irish Agreement 1938
Ireland agreed to pay £10 million lump sum to pay land annuity, Britain gave back Treaty Ports
Dismantling the Treaty
Treaty stepping stone to republic, Statute was step to republic after treaty,
steps to dismantling, land annuities stopped, oath stopped, governor general replaced by shopkeep from Maynooth, Comhnall Ua Buachalla, no English, didn't live in mansion, obsolete
almost entirely dismantled by 1937, FF new constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, abolished Free State, Éire
stopped at calling it a republic, all 32 counties united, unable to undo partition
Fianna Fáíl Comes to Power
General election 1932, Fianna Fáíl won 72, coalition with Labour 7 seats
Reason for Fianna Fáil election
de Valera's role in 1916, popularity, respect went down after 1921 Treaty
Séan Lemass set up Fianna Fáil cumann, local groups of FF supporters, promoted party, organised supporters of the party to go out to vote
De Valera promised to destroy Anglo-IRish Treaty and make republic
Cumman na nGaedhael regarded as party of the rich, FF said they represented the ordinary people
Cumann na nGaedhael had been in government for nine years. Time for change
Dealing with the IRA
FF came to power, expected to release prisoners, released and recaptured, De Valera sympathetic but didn't want threats
IRA men saw him as a traitor, imprisoned Seán MacBride who led IRA in 30's