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Socialism and republican schism in Ireland: the emergence of the Republican Congress in 1934

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2016

Richard English
Richard English*
Affiliation:
Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University of Belfast
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Extract

In the words of one veteran communist, the Irish republican movement has experienced throughout its existence ‘a constant searching’ on social issues. In 1934 the Irish Republican Army (I.R.A.) was fractured when a group of members who believed in socialism seceded to establish the Republican Congress movement. This article will examine a programme for government published early in 1934 by the I.R.A., consider the schism that occurred in March 1934, giving rise to the Republican Congress, and describe the aims, character and early activities of the new movement. It will be argued that there existed among republicans in 1934 two significant interpretations of the relationship between social radicalism and republican philosophy. The first involved a multi-class, Gaelic communalism. Public and private ownership were to be blended in post-revolutionary Ireland and emphasis was placed on class harmony rather than class struggle. Advocates of this approach employed radical rhetoric but tended to avoid any tangible involvement in immediate social struggle. Socio-economic radicalism was effectively obscured by nationalism. The second interpretation was socialist. This held that class conflict and the national struggle were necessarily complementary. Any attempt to restrain the social advance until independence had been achieved was ill-advised, since the republic could only be won through a struggle that was deeply imbued with class struggle.

Type
Articles
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 27 , Issue 105 , May 1990 , pp. 48 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 1990

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References

1 Interview with Sean Nolan, Dublin, 3 Feb. 1988.

2 I use the term ‘socialism’ in accordance with the definition: ‘a theory or policy of social organisation which advocates the ownership and control of the means of production, capital, land, property, etc. by the community as a whole, and their administration or distribution in the interests of all’ (The shorter Oxford English dictionary (Oxford, 1973), p. 2040). I further hold that the term implies an advocacy of, and engagement in, class struggle intended to realise the above arrangements. The term ‘republican’ refers to those aspiring toward the ideal of an independent all-Ireland republic, but refusing to participate in majoritarian, constitutional political activity.

3 Oglaigh na h-Éireann, Constitution and governmental programme for the Republic of Ireland (1934); copy in Coyle O’Donnell papers, U.C.D.A., P61/11(1), p. 1.

4 Ibid., p. 11.

5 Ibid., p. 4.

6 Ibid., p. 11.

7 Ibid., p. 4–8.

8 Ibid., pp 1–2, 5–8.

9 The month is given by Coogan and Bell as February but Cronin gives April ( Coogan, T.P., The I.R.A. (London, 1980), p. 83 Google Scholar; Bell, J.B., The secret army: the I.R.A., 1916–1979 (Dublin, 1979), p. 81 Google Scholar; Cronin, Sean, Frank Ryan: the search for the republic (Dublin, 1980), p. 34 Google Scholar.

10 Coogan, The I.R.A., p. 84; Bell, Secret army, p. 87; Cronin, Ryan, p. 35.

11 Saor Éire (Organisation of Workers and Working Farmers), Constitution and rules adopted by first national congress held in Dublin, 26th and 27th Sept., 1931; copy in S.P.O., S 5864A.

12 An Phoblacht, 7 Feb. 1931.

13 Irish Times, 17, 21 Oct. 1931.

14 Pastoral issued by bishops, 18 Oct. 1931, reported in Irish Independent, 19 Oct. 1931.

15 Irish Times, 21 Oct. 1931.

16 Cronin, Ryan, p. 142.

17 Peadar O’Donnell, ‘The Irish struggle today’ in Left Review, Apr. 1936, p. 299.

18 McInerney, Michael, Peadar O’Donnell: Irish social rebel (Dublin, 1974), p. 116 Google Scholar; Cronin, Ryan, p. 34.

19 Pearse, P.H., The sovereign people (Dublin, 1916), pp 3–6 Google Scholar.

20 Blácam, A.S. de, What Sinn Féin stands for: the Irish republican movement, its history, aims and ideals examined as to their significance to the world (Dublin, 1921), p. 150 Google Scholar.

21 Ibid., p. 155.

22 Blácam, A.S. de, Towards the republic: a study of new Ireland’s social and political aims (Dublin, 1919), p. 113 Google Scholar.

23 The economic programme of Sinn Féin (Dublin, 1924), pp 2–4; copy in Coyle O’Donnell papers, U.C.D.A., P61/33(3).

24 Peadar O’Donnell, quoted in McInerney, O’Donnell, p. 137.

25 For an identification of Ó Ruairc, see Cronin, Ryan, p. 34.

26 An Phoblacht, 3 Jan. 1931.

27 McInerney, O’Donnell, p. 136; Bell, Secret army, pp 112–13.

28 Gilmore, George, The Irish Republican Congress (Cork, 1978), pp 29–30 Google Scholar.

29 Byrne, Patrick, Memories of the Republican Congress (London, n.d.), p. 3 Google Scholar.

30 Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, p. 30; Republican Congress, 5 May 1934.

31 Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, p. 30; Byrne, Memories, p. 4.

32 Bell, Secret army, p. 113; Byrne, Memories, p. 4.

33 O’Donnell, ‘Irish Struggle’, p. 299.

34 Bell, Secret army, p. 113; Mclnerney, O’Donnell, p. 137.

35 Workers’ Republic, 8 Apr. 1916.

36 Republican Congress, 5 May 1934.

37 Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, p. 32.

38 Republican Congress, 5 May 1934.

39 An Phoblacht, 14 Apr. 1934.

40 Coogan, The I.R.A., p. 109.

41 Patrick Byrne to the author, 12 Apr. 1988.

42 Cronin, Ryan, p. 54.

43 Patrick Byrne to the author, 12 Apr. 1988; Cronin, Ryan, p. 54,

44 MacEoin, Uinseann, Survivors (Dublin, 1987), p. 568 Google Scholar.

45 See, e.g., ‘Free the prisoners!’ and ‘ “An Phoblacht” seized again’ (Republican Congress, 5 May 1934); ‘Gaelic games’ (ibid., 16, 23, 30 June, 7 July 1934).

46 Republican Congress, 5, 12, 19 May, 2 June 1934.

47 Ibid., 12 May 1934.

48 Interview with Sighle Bean Uí Dhonnchadha (Sheila Humphries), Dublin, 26 Feb. 1987.

49 Republican Congress, 5 May 1934.

50 Ibid.

51 See, e.g., ‘Congress can smash the border’ (ibid., 12 May 1934).

52 See, e.g., ‘Workers will unite with small farmers’ (ibid., 26 May 1934).

53 Ibid., 5 May 1934.

54 Ibid.

55 Ibid., 19 May 1934.

56 Ibid., 12, 19 May 1934; cf. Byrne, Memories, pp 5–6, and Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, p. 44.

57 Republican Congress, 12 May 1934.

58 Ibid., 19 May 1934.

59 Ibid., 12 May 1934.

60 Ibid., 5, 19 May 1934.

61 Ibid., 5 May 1934. The ‘slave of a slave’ thesis had been propounded by William Thompson ( Morgan, Austen, James Connolly: a political biography (Manchester, 1988), p. 56 Google Scholar).

62 Republican Congress, 5 May 1934.

63 Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, pp 40–44; Byrne, Memories, pp 6–7.

64 Republican Congress, 30 June 1934.

65 Ibid., 23 June, 7 July, 25 Aug., 1 Sept. 1934.

66 Interview with Sighle Bean Uí Dhonnchadha, Dublin, 26 Feb. 1987.

67 Republican Congress, 5, 12 May 1934.

68 Ibid., 5 May 1934.

69 Irish Press, 4 June 1934; Republican Congress, 9 June 1934.

70 Ibid.

71 Gilmore, The Irish Republican Congress, pp 45–57; Byrne, Memories, pp 11–12; Republican Congress, 6, 13 Oct. 1934.

72 Cronin, Ryan, p. 65.

73 Ibid., p. 70.

74 Patrick Byrne to the author, 12 Apr. 1988.

75 Cronin, Ryan, p. 109.

76 An Phoblacht, 14 Apr. 1934.

77 Hobson, Bulmer, Ireland yesterday and tomorrow (Tralee, 1968), pp 111-12Google Scholar.

78 Ibid., pp 149–52.

79 Ibid., p. 113.

80 Ibid., p. 171.

81 P.J.O’Loghlen, , Minority Report No. III in Irish Free State, Commission of inquiry into banking, currency and credit 1938. Reports (Dublin, n.d.), pp 624-5, 629Google Scholar.

82 Freyer, Grattan, Peadar O’Donnell (Lewisburg, 1973), pp 21-2Google Scholar; Irish Times, 21 June 1985; Cronin, Ryan, pp 17, 19.