Blueshirts
- For other uses, see Blueshirts (disambiguation).
| Army Comrades Association | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Political position | Irish nationalism Christian corporatism Anti-communism | ||
| Leader | Thomas F. O'Higgins (1932–1933) Eoin O'Duffy (1933) | ||
| Country | Ireland | ||
| Existence | 1932–1933 | ||
| Affiliation | New Centre Party Cumann na nGaedhael Fine Gael National Corporate Party | ||
| Colours | Blue | ||
The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, then Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, but better known as The Blueshirts, was an organization in Ireland in the early 1930s. It provided physical protection for political groups from intimidation and attacks by the anti-Treaty IRA. Influences included corporatism and anti-Communism.
Most of the political parties whose meetings the Blueshirts protected would merge to become Fine Gael, and members of that party are still sometimes nicknamed "Blueshirts".
The organization included some elements from fascism (broad sense). Members wore blue shirts in imitation of the European fascist movements that had adopted coloured shirts as their uniforms. About 600 former Blueshirts fought as part of the Irish Brigade with the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. Regardless, historians are divided whether to classify the organization as fascist.
Contents
History
Its purpose was to defend politicians from parties such as the New Centre Party and Cumann na nGaedhael, who were being attacked by red-republican IRA militants, released from prison by Éamon de Valera, who had recently become President of the Executive Council.
The Blueshirts saw their activity as essentially defensive and upholding law and order, so that fair elections could be carried out without intimidation. In its earliest period it was led by Thomas F. O'Higgins, a TD for North Dublin. After de Valera—of suspect political and ethno-religious disposition—dismissed Eoin O'Duffy from the role of police commissioner of Garda Síochána, many feared that it was a perlude to a communist take-over of the young Irish state. This radicalised groups like the Blueshirts and O'Duffy became leader in 1933.
The organization planned to hold a parade in Dublin in memory of Irish nationalist heroes; Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Kevin O'Higgins. The Fianna Fáil government banned the parade, so they held local commemorations instead, which de Valera legalistically used as an excuse to outlaw the group. The membership merged into Fine Gael. Much debate has taken place about the nature of the Blueshirts. Their strong Christian focus and corporatist economics were similar to Benito Mussolini in Italy, Engelbert Dollfuß in Austria or Francisco Franco in Spain.
The Army Comrades Association was formed in February 1932, to promote the interests of ex-National Army army members, to defend conservative interests against the emerging threat coming from their political opponents, the Irish Republican Army and Fianna Fáil.
In March 1932, Éamon de Valera became President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. One of his first acts was to repeal the ban on the IRA. He also released many republican prisoners from jail. Following these moves, the IRA became increasingly active in disrupting the activities of the opposition party, Cumann na nGaedhael. The Blueshirts felt that freedom of speech was being repressed, and began to provide security at Cumann na nGaedhael events. This led to several serious clashes between the IRA and the Blueshirts. In August 1932, Dr. Thomas F. O'Higgins, a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD; member of Parliament) became the leader of the ACA.
In January 1933, de Valera called a surprise election, which Fianna Fáil won comfortably. The election campaign saw a serious escalation of rioting between IRA and ACA supporters. In April 1933, the ACA began wearing the distinctive St. Patrick's Blue shirt uniform.
Eoin O'Duffy becomes leader
Eoin O'Duffy was a guerrilla leader in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence; an Irish Army general during the Civil War, and the Irish police commissioner in the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1933. After de Valera's re-election in February 1933, he dismissed O'Duffy as commissioner, and in July of that year, O'Duffy took control of the ACA and re-named it the National Guard. He re-modelled the organisation, adopting elements of European fascism, such as the Roman straight-arm salute, uniforms and huge rallies. Membership of the new organisation became limited to people who were Irish or whose parents "profess the Christian faith". O'Duffy was an admirer of Benito Mussolini, and the Blueshirts adopted corporatism as their chief political aim.
March on Dublin
The ACA planned to hold a parade in Dublin in August 1933. It was to proceed to Glasnevin Cemetery, stopping briefly on Leinster lawn in front of the Irish parliament, where speeches were to be held. The goal of the parade was to commemorate past leaders of Ireland, Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Kevin O'Higgins. It is clear that the IRA and other groups representing workers, republicans and socialists intended to confront the Blueshirts if they did march in Dublin.
De Valera banned the parade, remembering Mussolini's March on Rome, and fearing a coup d'état. Decades later, he told Fianna Fáil politicians that in late summer 1933, he was unsure whether the Irish Army would obey his orders to suppress the perceived threat, or whether the soldiers would support the Blueshirts (who included many ex-soldiers). O'Duffy accepted the ban and insisted that he was committed to upholding the law. Instead, several provincial parades took place to commemorate the deaths of Griffith, O'Higgins and Collins. De Valera saw this move as defying his ban, and the Blueshirts were declared an illegal organisation.
Fine Gael and the National Corporate Party
In response to the banning of the National Guard, Cumann na nGaedheal and the National Centre Party merged to form a new party, Fine Gael, on 3 September 1933. O'Duffy became its first president, with W. T. Cosgrave and James Dillon acting as vice-presidents. The National Guard changed into the Young Ireland Association, and became part of a youth wing of the party. The party's aim was to create a corporatist United Ireland. Following disagreements with his Fine Gael colleagues, O'Duffy left the party, although most of the Blueshirts stayed in Fine Gael. In December 1934, O'Duffy attended the Montreux Fascist conference in Switzerland.
O'Duffy then founded the National Corporate Party, and later raised an "Irish Brigade" that took General Francisco Franco's side in the Spanish Civil War. They were once fired upon by mistake by Franco's troops, after which they returned to Ireland.
"The Blueshirt Brigade"
In April 2015, a man from Naas, County Kildare discovered the lyrics to an old Blueshirt party song inside written on a piece of paper inside an old book he had purchased at a car boot sale. This is noteworthy due to the fact that most party songs have been either forgotten or their lyrics destroyed. The song is sung to the tune of the traditional Irish ballad "The Wearing of the Green":
They have heard him midst
the bustle of the busy city’s day;
They have heard his voice a-calling
in the green fields far away.
They have seen the danger threatening,
seen the thunder clouds above
Hovering over the faith they cherish
and the island home they love.
Chorus
[They were ready and unflinching
in their country’s hour of need.
Thinking naught of fame or glory;
thinking less the gain or greed.
They are rallying 'round O’Duffy
while their foes look on dismayed,
'Neath the standard of Saint Patrick
in the Blueshirt Brigade.]
And they come a mighty hosting
from the Lagan to the Lee,
Gallant men who fought and suffered
that their country might be free.
They have come to join O’Duffy
and to help him strike a blow
That will save our dear old Ireland
from a worse than foreign foe.
Chorus
Free and faithful sons of Erin
are those dauntless men in blue,
And their fighting strength and courage
well the Saxon soldier knew.
They’re resolved that Ireland’s
honour shall be saved from shame or stain.
That brave Collins and O’Higgins
have not shed their blood in vain.
Chorus
They have scared the mighty raider;
now the gunman’s rule is o’er,
And fair freedom’s light shines undimmed
within our seagirt shore.
Then may God grant the day will dawn
when all our woes shall cease,
And we'll see the gallant Blueshirts
guiding Ireland’s destinies.
Chorus
