Independent Ireland 1921-2000 This chapter introduces the beginnings of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and what happened after the Irish Civil War. After the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, the country was divided into anti-treaty and pro-treaty, the latter having power first. William T. Cosgrave (picture above), who had also fought in the GPO in 1916, led the party named Cumann na nGaedhael (Party of the Gaels) which would later become Fine Gael. He also became the first president of the Irish Free State. (De Valera – president of the republic)

Law and Order Cumann na nGaedhael first wished to establish law and order. The RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary), the police force set up by the English, had been destroyed by the IRA. The new Government created an An Gárda Síochána. It was important that this was an unarmed police force. They served the people, instead of hunting and killing them. They had the moral high ground and the trust of the people. The Minister of Home Affairs, Kevin O’Higgins, also set up the independent judiciary (judges not influenced by the government) and set up the court system we have today. He was assassinated by the IRA in 1927.

Economy - 1923 We still depended on agriculture (farming) and many farmers had suffered due to the civil war. The Government set up the Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC). This gave cheap loans to farmers and improved the economy. Cumann na nGaedhael also began the process of rural electrification by building a hydroelectric power (HEP) plant on the Shannon. It used moving water to create electricity. In 1927 the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) was set up.

Foreign Affairs Cumann na nGaedhael’s greatest achievement was in foreign affairs. The treaty had made Ireland a dominion of Britian, who could interfere when they wanted to. The government decided to work with other members of the commonwealth (Canada, Australia and South Africa) to make themselves as free as possible. In 1931 the Statute of Westminster became law, which stated that members of the Commonwealth could make and change their own laws. The Anglo-Irish treaty could be ripped up later then and the British could do nothing about it.

Fianna Fáil (Back to 1926) Cumann na nGaedhael was seen as the rich party that had sworn oaths to the British. Sinn Féin would not join the government because of the treaty. De Valera had an idea. He left Sinn Féin to form Fianna Fáil, with the help of Sean Lemass. This party would swear the oath to the king but argued it was just empty words. They promised to: Get rid of the treaty. Create jobs by putting a tax on foreign goods coming into Ireland. Help poor people get pensions and build better houses for them.

Fianna Fáil 1932 They won the 1932 reason for many reasons. As the sole surviving commander from the 1916 rising, de Valera had always been popular with the ordinary people. He had been leader of Sinn Féin. The Economic Depression was in 1930. Everywhere factories were closing and people were out of work. Cosgrave and Cumann na nGaedhael, who had been in power for 9 years, had no idea how to deal with this. People thought de Valera might. People wanted to be a republic again, and get rid of the treaty. Sean Lemass also set up local groups or clubs to gather supporters on an unprecedented scale. He organised people to go out and vote.

Fine Gael 1933 Cosgrave and Cumann na nGaedhael handed over power peacefully and democratically. They did not trust de Valera, who had ties to the IRA and immediately released IRA prisoners from jail. Some pro-treaty soldiers formed a group called the Army Comrades Association (ACA) and they protected Cumann na nGaedhael from IRA attacks. The wore blue shirts so got the nickname ‘The Blueshirts’. Cosgrave merged several parties (including Fascists) with Cumann na nGaedhael to form Fine Gael. General Eoin O’Duffy was it’s first leader but was kicked out for threatening to invade Northern Ireland. Cosgrave became Fine Gael leader then.

Bunreacht na hEireann and key words De Valera and Fianna Fáil outlawed the IRA, did away with the Anglo Irish treaty (thanks to the statute of Westminster) but most importantly wrote up a new constitution. This stated that the country would be called Ireland (or Éire), Irish should be the first language, the people elected a president, the government elected a Taoiseach and all religions were gaurenteed freedom. Key words: William T. Cosgrave, Cumann na nGaedhael, An Gárda Síochána, Independent judiciary, The ESB, The ACC, The Statute of Westminster, Fianna Fáil 1932 election, The ACA, Bunreacht na hEireann