irish history

1. Review of Ireland 1922-1939
 Political Parties 1922
 Cumann na nGaedheal (pro-Treaty Sinn Fein)
 Sinn Fein (anti-Treaty)
 Labour Party
 Farmers Party

2. Cumann na nGaedheal 1923-
32
 General Election August 1923
 Sinn Fein refuses to attend Dail (abstention)
 Cumman na nGaedheal has majority
 William T. Cosgrave (President of Executive)

3. Issues Facing Government
 Consolidating the State
 Law and Order
 Economic Difficulties
 Foreign Policy

4. Consolidating the State
 The ‘New’ Civil Service
 The Civic Guard (the Gardai)
 The Courts
 Local Government
 Founding of Fianna Fail (1926)

5. Law and Order
 Civic Guard (the Gardai)
 Dealing with IRA
 The Army Mutiny 1924
 The Assassination of Kevin O’Higgins
 New Laws force Fianna Fail to take the Oath of
Allegiance
 The Red Scare 1929

6. Economic Difficulties
 Economic Recession (began 1921)
 Economic problems from war
 Laissez-Faire policies
 Emphasis on Agriculture
 Balance the books
 Ultimate Financial Agreement 1926
 Government to continue paying land
annuties

7. Specific Measures
 1923 – cuts in pay for civil servants, teachers and
gardai
 1924 – cuts in old age pension
 1924 – cuts taxes
 1927 – ACC established
 1927 – Building of Shannon Scheme

8. Foreign Policy
 Participation in League of Nations
 Participation in Imperial Conferences
 1925 – The Boundary Commission
 1931 – Statute of Westminster

9. Fianna Fail in Power 1932-
1939
 Elected with help of Labour in 1932
 1933 – Snap election – win overall majority
 Threats to the State (Law and Order)
 1937 Constitution
 Foreign Policy
 Economic Policies

10. Threats to the State
 IRA
 DeValera releases IRA men from jail
 By 1936 uses the same powers to re-arrest them again
 Threats from the Blueshirts

11. New Constitution
 Dismantling the Treaty
 1932 – Abolished the Oath of Allegiance
 1932 – Undermined the Governor General
 1936 – Constitutional Amendment Act and External
Relations Act
 1937 – New Constitution

12. Foreign Policy
 Tied to –
 Dismantling of the Treaty
 Economic War

13. Economic Policy
 More government involvement in Economy
 More spending on housing and services
 Drive to develop industry
 Implementation of a policy of Protectionism
 DeValera wants to break economic links with Britain
 Drive for self-sufficiency

14. Economic War
 1932 – July – DeValera refuses to pay land annuities
 Sparks Economic War with Britain
 Both sides impose tariffs on imports
 ‘Burn everything British but it’s coal’
 1935 – The Coal-Cattle Pact
 1938 – The Anglo Irish Agreement