The origins of Fine Gael/Cumann na Gael

[Fir Bolg]

I notice he does not mention CNG being the "political wing" of any organisation. Sinn Fein were the political wing of the IRA, and FF were the political wing of the building industry.

FF didn't even exist when that article was written.

Not many brown envelopes in FG history. Nor did any FG Taoiseach receive money from a rich man with the cringing, forelock-touching acknowledgement "Thanks, Big Fellah".

No but one FG Taoiseach did engage in one of the greatest displays of forlock-tugging ever witnessed in Irish public life on the occasion of his meeting with the Prince of Wales. Truly pathetic.

[pjoz]

Then you've been uber-rejected.

A little tip, but someone with 4 dail seats, no southern MEP seats and a dwindling band of southern councillors should keep the 'unpopularity' accusations to themselves.

And could you tell me when republicanism ever held widespread popularity? 1800 or so took part in Easter week and yet the establishment parties of FF/FG have no problem endorsing their actions and hijacking their ideals to serve their own agenda...shame on FF/FG... The constant media attacks on SF are most welcome, the party knows it must be doing something right. For conservatives in the south within FG/FF party structures what is most distressing is the blueprint for the growth of SF that has been laid down in the 6 counties.F know how to deal with election set backs, slow and steady progress will be made, since 2004 SF has established some very strong local representatives, some of the hardest working and best in the country, a sentiment from Frank Flannery, who will eventually be well positioned to take a more central role in Irish political life

[Sync]

I'm not an FGer. You're dredging up a topic from 2 years ago simply to take shots at a political party that aren't based on any current policy or policy from living memory. It's shouldn't be unexpected when it's pointed out to you that SF are much bigger failures than FG is you judge success (as you seem to) on electoral results.

[hiding behind a poster]

And could you tell me when republicanism ever held widespread popularity? 1800 or so took part in Easter week and yet the establishment parties of FF/FG have no problem endorsing their actions and hijacking their ideals to serve their own agenda...shame on FF/FG... The constant media attacks on SF are most welcome, the party knows it must be doing something right. For conservatives in the south within FG/FF party structures what is most distressing is the blueprint for the growth of SF that has been laid down in the 6 counties.F know how to deal with election set backs, slow and steady progress will be made, since 2004 SF has established some very strong local representatives, some of the hardest working and best in the country, a sentiment from Frank Flannery, who will eventually be well positioned to take a more central role in Irish political life

Oh God, I don't know where to begin. Meri, you can have this one.....

[pjoz]

"The Government is composed of opportunists, “men of transition,” who are patriotic Empirists in England and who become Nationalists according to the shade of their audiences in Ireland. They floated into power when the country was sick of war, and now they depend upon England and upon finance for support. Their policy is to keep things as they were before the Treaty, while parading all the forms of change. At the last election their position did not improve; they secured the return of sixty-three candidates as against forty-four definitely anti-Treaty deputies. Because of the strong opposition in Ireland they are forced into greater dependence upon England and their Republicanism has evaporated. They rely partly upon the anti-national elements in the south of Ireland, and they dare not insist on an Ulster Boundary Commission for fear of losing this support.


In the days before the Free State, the middlemen, small business men and capitalists were nationalists, and supported the parliamentary party led by Redmond at Westminster. W. M. Murphy, who headed the Dublin employers in the 1913 lockout, was typical of these. To-day they support the Pro-treaty Government and urge economy, freedom from taxation, facilities for trade and all the usual business cries. Their attitude was stated very well by a Mr. Shanks, speaking recently as President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He found fault with the green flags, green pillar boxes and green telegraph forms which had been introduced, saying that he had been informed that blue was the true heraldic colour of Ireland. Anyhow, he saw no profit in the change. But, and here he came to the crux, he had been assured that these things were necessary to make the people loyal to the Free State. The business people were terrified during the civil war, when private property was treated without reverence and the business of the country interfered with. They are afraid of the people getting out of hand again, so they slavishly support the Government in its most ferocious exhibitions of “strength” such as the long imprisonment of 15,000 untried prisoners. Most of these prisoners have now been released, as they had become more of a disturbing factor in prison than outside. "

Written by Ralph Fox (english journalist) in 1924

A very well written piece. the parties ideology hasn't changed much in the 90 years either

[Rocky]

And could you tell me when republicanism ever held widespread popularity? 1800 or so took part in Easter week and yet the establishment parties of FF/FG have no problem endorsing their actions and hijacking their ideals to serve their own agenda...shame on FF/FG... The constant media attacks on SF are most welcome, the party knows it must be doing something right. For conservatives in the south within FG/FF party structures what is most distressing is the blueprint for the growth of SF that has been laid down in the 6 counties.F know how to deal with election set backs, slow and steady progress will be made, since 2004 SF has established some very strong local representatives, some of the hardest working and best in the country, a sentiment from Frank Flannery, who will eventually be well positioned to take a more central role in Irish political life

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were founded by man who fought in the Rising.

For Fine Gael, Collins, Cosgrave, Fitzgerald, Lynch, McGrath, Mulcahy were all there and Blythe would have been there was he not in Jail, so there's nearly the whole CnaG government. Dr. T.F. O'Higgins a key figure in the party in the 30s and 40s and Minister in the First Inter-Party government also fought in the Rising.

I'm not as well up on the history of Fianna Fail, but obviously De Valera fought in the Rising and I'm sure many others did.

[turdsl]

Oh Dear, not men of violence surely

[I'mVeryGladYouAskedMeThat]

SF know how to deal with election set backs,

How, exactly? Not much sign of change at the top.

[devnull]

... Apart from FG being a bastard offspring of SF I don't the logic of raising SF in the issue....spin,spin,spin

Well, if you're insisting on the importance of parties' histories ...

CnG/FG and FF are actually the bastard offspring of Official Sinn Féin (now called the Workers' Party) and both were founded by veterans of the Easter Rising and War of Independence.
Provisional Sinn Féin only split from the real Sinn Féin half a century later.