Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann (; en, "Republican Society of Ireland") was a political party established by the

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief th ...

in 1936. It existed until 1937. It was founded in Barry's Hotel, Dublin, on 7 March 1936, and decided to adopt a policy of

abstentionism Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in ...

with regard to any seats it might win in elections to the Free State Oireachtas and the

Parliament of Northern Ireland The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended because of its inability to restore ord ...

. The party was led by prominent IRA members. Paddy McLogan served as party chairman; former IRA chief of staff Andy Cooney was another leading member. Madge Daly (sister of Ned Daly and

Kathleen Clarke Kathleen Clarke (; ga, Caitlín Bean Uí Chléirigh; 11 April 1878 – 29 September 1972) was a founder member of Cumann na mBan, a women's paramilitary organisation formed in Ireland in 1914, and one of very few privy to the plans of the East ...

), Fionna Plunkett (sister of

Joseph Plunkett Joseph Mary Plunkett ( Irish: ''Seosamh Máire Pluincéid''; 21 November 1887 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish nationalist, republican, poet, journalist, revolutionary and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising. Joseph Mary Plunkett married Grace Gif ...

Seán MacBride Seán MacBride (26 January 1904 – 15 January 1988) was an Irish Clann na Poblachta politician who served as Minister for External Affairs from 1948 to 1951, Leader of Clann na Poblachta from 1946 to 1965 and Chief of Staff of the IRA from 19 ...

, Joseph P. Brennan,

Peadar O'Donnell Peadar O'Donnell ( ga, Peadar Ó Domhnaill; 22 February 1893 – 13 May 1986) was one of the foremost radicals of 20th-century Ireland. O'Donnell became prominent as an Irish republican, socialist activist, politician and writer. Early life Pea ...

and Moss Twomey were also members.The IRA by Tim Pat Coogan page 84 General

Eoin O'Duffy Eoin O'Duffy (born Owen Duffy; 28 January 1890 – 30 November 1944) was an Irish military commander, police commissioner and politician. O'Duffy was the leader of the Monaghan Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and a prominent figure i ...

attended the founding meeting but never became a member. In 1936, during the legislative period of the 8th Dáil, the party ran two candidates in

by-elections A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election ( Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election use ...

: In the Galway by-election, held in the Galway constituency on 13 August 1936,

Count Plunkett George Noble Plunkett (3 December 1851 – 12 March 1948) was an Irish nationalist politician, museum director and biographer, who served as Minister for Fine Arts from 1921 to 1922, Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1919 to 1921 and Ceann Comha ...

ran as a joint Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann/

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur G ...

candidate. Losing his deposit, he polled 2,696 votes (a 4.09 percent share of the vote). In the Wexford by-election, held in the Wexford constituency on 17 August 1936, Stephen Hayes polled 1,301 votes (a 2.85 percent share of the vote) and lost his deposit.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cumann Poblachta Na Heireann Defunct political parties in the Republic of Ireland Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) Irish republican parties Political parties established in 1936 Political parties disestablished in 1937 1936 establishments in Ireland 1937 disestablishments in Ireland