Clann na Talmhan

Clann na Talmhan (‘party of the land’), political party founded on 29 June 1939. Initially confined to the west of Ireland, it later extended its organization in the east and south. The party polled well at a by‐election in 1940, but its major victory came at the general election of 1943, when it won 10.3 per cent of the votes (thirteen seats). It improved slightly on this electoral performance in 1944 (10.8 per cent), but its number of seats fell back to eleven. Although its support dropped to 5.6 per cent (seven seats) in 1948, it entered the first interparty government in that year. Its support continued to decline subsequently, but it was nevertheless able to join the second interparty government in 1954. It continued to contest elections until 1961 but disappeared in 1965, much of its support transferring to Fine Gael.

Its programme was that of a populist, agrarian party, appealing in particular to the interests of smaller farmers. Its most prominent figures, including its eventual leader Michael Donnellan, were farmers from the west of Ireland.

John Coakley