Cumann na nGaedheal

Cumann na nGaedheal (‘party of the Irish’), political party formally launched on 8 April 1923. The core of the party consisted of the pro‐treaty members of Sinn Féin returned in the 1922 general election who constituted the government party in the Irish Free State. A decision to found the party had been taken on 7 December 1922, and organizational work proceeded in early 1923.

The party won its highest ever share of the poll at the first general election it contested, on 27 August 1923 (39.0 per cent, and 63 seats), although its leader, William T. Cosgrave, was nevertheless able to continue in office as president of the executive council only because of the absence of anti‐treaty deputies from the Dáil. The party survived in government despite a dip in support in the general election of 9 June 1927 (27.4 per cent of votes and 47 seats) and notwithstanding Fianna Fáil's entry to the Dáil in August 1927. It re‐established its share of the vote (38.7 per cent and 62 seats) in the general election of 15 September 1927; this was sufficient to allow it to continue in office with the support of the Farmers' Party.

To its great surprise, the party was defeated by Fianna Fáil at the general election of 16 February 1932 (35.3 per cent of the vote, 57 seats), and its support fell back further at the next general election on 24 January 1933 (30.5 per cent, 48 seats). The party subsequently engaged in discussions with the National Centre Party on a possible merger, and finally agreed this, taking in also a third group, the National Guard (see blueshirts), to form Fine Gael in September 1933.

On matters of social and economic policy Cumann na nGaedheal was conservative, and its defence of the constitutional status quo and of the treaty settlement with Great Britain became increasingly committed as the party aged.

John Coakley