Cumann na nGaedheal

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Cumann na nGaedheal [ kʊmən nə ŋ ^ɰ eːɫ ] ( Irish for alliance of the Gaels ) was the name of two political parties in the Irish history of the 20th century.

The first party Cumann na nGaedheal was by Arthur Griffith founded in 1904 to protest against a visit by King Edward VII. And Queen Alexandra of Denmark to do in Ireland propaganda. In 1905 this group merged with other parties to form Sinn Féin .

The second party Cumann na nGaedheal was founded in 1923 in Dublin by proponents of the Anglo-Irish treaty within the Sinn Féin. The leadership of the Treaty advocates within Sinn Féin included Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and WT Cosgrave . The first two died during the Irish Civil War , eventually leading Cosgrave to lead the proponents of the treaty within Sinn Féin. He decided to develop an independent party out of it and founded Cumann na nGaedheal . The idea for this party was born in December 1922, but it was not officially founded until April 1923 as a direct consequence of the civil war.

The party first took part in an election in 1923 and won 63 seats (39%). Until 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal formed the government of the Irish Free State under Cosgrave. But already since 1926 the party lost its base more and more to the Fianna Fáil party founded by Éamon de Valera . Cosgrave's party became more and more a symbol of the defense of the treaty and the new Free State. Economically, the party pursued free trade and a balanced budget - and that at a time when its opponents preferred the principles of protectionism . Still, it came as a surprise when Cumann na nGaedheal lost to Fianna Fáil in the 1932 election.

In the 1933 election, approval fell even further, and negotiations began with the National Center Party and the Army Comrades Association regarding a merger, which finally resulted in the formation of Fine Gael , the soon-to-be leading opponent of Fianna Fáil and de Valera, took place.