More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Ireland in the 1950s revision
Similar to Ireland in the 1950s revision (20)
More from leavingcerthistory
More from leavingcerthistory (11)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Ireland in the 1950s revision
- 1. Ireland in the 1950s • Leaving Cert History • Government, Economy and Society in the Republic of Ireland 1949-1989
- 2. • Fianna Fail Returns to power • The Second Inter-Party Government • Fianna Fail win 1957 election • The Economy in Crisis • Unemployment and Emigration • The IRA Border Campaign • Irish Society on the 1950s • The Role of the Catholic Church • Irish Language, Culture and Music Ireland in the 1950s
- 3. • Result Fianna Fail 69 seats (+1) Fine Gael 40 seats (+9) Labour 16 seats (-3) Clann na Talmhan 6 seats (-1) Clann na Poblachta 2 seats (-8) Independents 14 seats (+3) • The Independents included Noel Browne, another former CnaP TD, Jack McQuillan and a former CnaP councillor, Michael ffrench-O’Carroll, who resigned from CnaP in support of Browne • Independents, including Browne supported a minority Fianna Fail government General Election 1951
- 4. Fianna Fail in Power 1951- 1954 • Economic recession • Austerity policies – cuts in public expenditure and increased taxes • FF were unpopular and lost a series of by-elections in early 1954
- 5. • Result Fianna Fail 65 seats (-4) Fine Gael 50 seats (+10) Labour 19 seats (+3) Clann na Talmhan 5 seats (-1) Clann na Poblachta 3 seats (+1) Independents 5 seats (-9) • Coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and Clann na Talmhan • Noel Browne lost his seat General Election 1954
- 6. • Clann na Poblachta did not join the government but did support it in the Dail • Failed to solve any of the economic problems and stop unemployment and emigration • Took tough action against the IRA during the Border Campaign – CnaP withdrew its support • Forced to call an election in 1957 Second Inter-Party Government
- 8. • Result Fianna Fail 78 seats (+13) Fine Gael 40 seats (-10) Labour 12 seats (-7) Clann na Talmhan 3 seats (-2) Clann na Poblachta 1 seats (-2) Independents 9 seats (+4) • The Independents included Noel Browne and Jack McQuillan • A clear and decisive win for Fianna Fail General Election 1957
- 9. • 1950s – severe economic depression and decline • Ireland was an agricultural economy and the numbers employed in and incomes from farming were declining • Farmers didn’t have money to invest in modernisation • Irish industry was in a period of stagnation. Companies established under tariffs were inefficient and uncompetitive • All of these factors led to an internal downward pressure on the economy The Economy in Crisis
- 10. Rural Ireland
- 11. Disagreements in Fianna Fail • Disagreements over economic policies within Fianna Fail 1951-1954 • Minister for Finance, Sean MacEntee wanted austerity and a deflationary policy • Minister for Industry and Commerce, Sean Lemass, wanted to pursue a policy of expansion and investment in the economy • MacEntee won the argument
- 12. • During the 1950s almost 500,000 people left Ireland • 16% of the entire population • 3 out of every 5 children who grew up in Ireland in the 1950s left the country at some point • “A haunting description of the barren social landscape after the departure of people’s friends and family members” • Only 2 European countries saw population decline in the 1950s – East Germany and Ireland Emigration
- 13. Annual average births, deaths and net migration (000) period births deaths increase migration change 46-51 66 40 26 -24 +1 51-56 63 36 27 -39 -12 56-61 61 34 26 -42 -16 61-66 63 33 29 -16 +13 66-71 63 33 30 -11 +19 71-79 69 33 35 +14 +49 79-81 73 33 40 -3 +38 81-86 67 33 34 -14 +19 86-91 56 32 24 - 27 -3 Emigration
- 14. • Unemployment was widespread during the 1950s • Economic depression was compounded with austerity polices • Unemployed protests took place • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmdw4uLXrb8 • 1957 – 78,000 were unemployed • Welfare only paid for six months – large numbers of long-termed unemployed Unemployment
- 15. • Unemployed Protest Committee established in 1956 • Influenced by the Irish Workers League (Communist Party) • Public meetings, rallies and demonstrations held and support for the UPC grew Unemployment
- 16. • In Jan 1957 the government collapsed • The UPC decided to contest the general election • Jack Murphy was selected to run in Dublin South Central Unemployment
- 17. • Jack Murphy won the last seat in a five seat constituency Unemployment
- 18. • His election had a significant impact on Irish society – he was seen as a return to the radicalism of Clann na Poblachta • Murphy was isolated in the Dail – the government wouldn’t answer any of his questions. • He resigned his seat in 1958 and emigrated. Unemployment
- 19. • In the 1940s the IRA regarded itself as ‘apolitical’ – purely a military organisation to overthrow British rule in the North • In 1949 the IRA ordered its members to join Sinn Fein to create a ‘civilian wing’ of the IRA • Many new recruits joined – in part as a result of the poverty in Ireland IRA Border Campaign
- 20. • The IRA re-armed itself – raiding military bases in Ireland and Britain • In the mid-1950s the IRA suffered splits from members impatient for action • In order to stop the splits the IRA launched ‘Operation Harvest’ • A military campaign attacking RUC stations on the border from the South IRA Border Campaign
- 22. • During an attack on Brookeborough Barracks in Fermanagh, Sean South and Fergal O’Hanlon were killed • Thousands attended South’s funeral in Limerick • While few people supported the Border Campaign – many people had sympathy with the republican cause IRA Border Campaign
- 24. • John A. Costello’s Second Inter-Party Government took strong measures - introduced internment • Widespread arrests took place and most IRA leaders were interned • Clann na Poblachta withdrew its support for the government and the government collapsed • In 1957 election Sinn Fein won 4 seats Response of the Government
- 25. • The new Fianna Fail government continued with internment and in 1961 introduced military courts • By 1961 the Border Campaign came to an end in failure • Casualties – 8 IRA – 4 Republican supporters – 6 RUC – 32 RUC wounded • 256 interned in the North (89 renounced violence to get their freedom) – 150 interned in the South • Campaign officially called off on 26/2/1962 Response of the Government
- 26. • Dominant in 1950s Ireland • Exercised strong influence on government policy and the lives of ordinary people • The Church was rarely criticised and writings and activities were widely reported in newspapers The Role of the Church
- 27. • Government consulted bishops over laws • Adoption Law passed only after assurances given to the Church that children would only be adopted by parents with the same religion • Resisted changes to pub licencing laws • All teachers, nurses and doctors had to adhere to Catholic values in their work • A reference from the local priest was often necessary to get a job The Role of the Church
- 28. • Marriage patterns had not changed since the 1880s • 1 in 4 remained unmarried for life • No divorce • Majority of women gave up work after marriage • The ‘marriage bar’ in the civil service • Women worked in menial jobs and received less pay than men Marriage and the Family
- 29. • Unmarried mothers were harshly treated – abandoned by their families and forced to give up their children • Condemned for ‘immoral behaviour’ and confined to institutions – Magdalen Laundries • Ireland was portrayed as a ‘moral, God- fearing community’ and an example to other countries Marriage and the Family
- 30. • Most schools run by the Church • 1950 – - 464,000 primary school - 47,000 secondary school - 10,200 sat the Inter Cert Exam - 4,500 sat the Leaving Cert Exam • Irish, English, Maths & Latin • Disaster for Irish economy – few educated workers Education
- 31. • A vibrancy in Irish culture • New writers and composers • Gael Linn established to promote Irish language • Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann set up to promote traditional music • Radio was extremely popular • People regularly went to the cinema Language, Culture and Music
- 32. • Little had changed since 1922 • Rural and Catholic • 1950 – 50% of men and 25% of women worked in agriculture • Devalera (1943) ‘we dreamed…of a people who were satisfied with frugal comfort and devoted their leisure to things of the spirit…a people living the life that God desires that man should live’ • Life was harsh and poor • The traditional, conservative values that underpinned this view continued to be held by Church and State leaders Irish Society in the 1950s
- 33. • Presentation prepared by: • Dominic Haugh • St. Particks Comprehensive School • Shannon • Co. Clare • Presentation can be used for educational purposes only – all rights remain with author