Irish general election, 1932
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The 1932 Irish general election to the
7th Dáil 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...
was held on Tuesday, 16 February, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the
6th Dáil 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
on 29 January. The general election took place in 30
parliamentary constituencies An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region Administra ...
throughout the Irish Free State for 153 seats in
Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
. It was the first election held in the Irish Free State since the Statute of Westminster a year earlier removed the United Kingdom parliament's authority to legislate for the Dominions, including the Irish Free State. The 7th Dáil met at Leinster House on 9 March 1932 to nominate the President of the Executive Council and
Executive Council Executive Council may refer to: Government * Executive Council (Commonwealth countries), a constitutional organ that exercises executive power and advises the governor * Executive Council of Bern, the government of the Swiss canton of Bern * Ex ...
of the Irish Free State for appointment by the
Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
James McNeill. This resulted in the first change of government in the Irish Free State.
Cumann na nGaedheal Cumann na nGaedheal (; "Society of the Gaels") was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. In 1933 it merged with smaller groups to form the Fine Gael party. Origins In 1922 the pro-Treaty G ...
, which had been the governing party since 1922, was succeeded by Fianna Fáil, which became the largest party in the chamber and formed a government led by Éamon de Valera, with the support of the Labour Party. Fianna Fáil would be the largest party in Dáil Éireann at every general election thereafter until 2011.


Campaign

The election campaign between the two ideologically opposed parties was reasonably peaceful. However, during the campaign the government prosecuted de Valera's newly established newspaper, '' The Irish Press''. The editor was also brought before a military tribunal. This was seen by many as a major blunder and a serious infringement on the belief of freedom of speech. The "red scare" tactics also seemed to backfire on the government. Two days before the election, Patrick Reynolds, a
Cumann na nGaedheal Cumann na nGaedheal (; "Society of the Gaels") was a political party in the Irish Free State, which formed the government from 1923 to 1932. In 1933 it merged with smaller groups to form the Fine Gael party. Origins In 1922 the pro-Treaty G ...
TD was assassinated in
Ballinamore Ballinamore (, meaning "mouth of the big ford") is a small town in County Leitrim, Ireland. Etymology , corrupted ''Bellanamore'', means "town at the mouth of the big ford", so named because it was a main crossing (ford) of the Yellow River. T ...
. A garda detective was murdered in the same incident. The poll in Leitrim–Sligo was postponed and Reynolds' widow Mary was elected.


Cumann na nGaedheal

Cumann na nGaedheal fought the general election on its record of providing ten years of stable government. The party claimed to have brought stability following the chaos of the
Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...
and to have provided honest government. However, by 1932 this provision of solid government was wearing thin, particularly since the party had no solution to the collapse in trade which followed the depression of the early 1930s. Instead of offering new policies, the party believed that its record in government would be enough to retain power. Cumann na nGaedheal also played the "
red scare A Red Scare is the promotion of a widespread fear of a potential rise of communism, anarchism or other leftist ideologies by a society or state. The term is most often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which ar ...
" tactic, describing Fianna Fáil as communists and likening Éamon de Valera to Joseph Stalin.


Fianna Fáil

In comparison to Cumann na nGaedheal, Fianna Fáil had an elaborate election programme, designed to appeal to a wide section of the electorate. It played down its republicanism to avoid alarm, but provided very popular social and economic policies. The party promised to free IRA prisoners, abolish the
Oath of allegiance An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to a monarch or a country. In modern republics, oaths are sworn to the country in general, or to the country's constitution. For ...
and reduce the powers of the
Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
and the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. It also promised the introduction of protectionist policies, industrial development, self-sufficiency and improvements in housing and social security benefits.


Result


Voting summary


Seats summary


Government formation

Fianna Fáil was five seats short of an overall majority, but it still looked like the only party capable of forming a government. Discussions got underway immediately after the election and an agreement was reached in which the Labour Party would support Fianna Fáil. The party now had the necessary votes to form a
minority government A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and Cabinet (government), cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or Coalition government, coalition of parties do ...
. After the results were announced, newly elected Fianna Fáil TD Seán Moylan proclaimed that the election was a victory of "the owners of the donkey and cart over the pony and trap class". On 9 March 1932 the first change of government in the Irish Free State took place. Many in the country and abroad wondered if the true test of democracy would be passed, whether it would be possible for the men who won a civil war only ten years before to hand over power to their opponents. Similar to when the party first entered the Dáil in 1927, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs had guns in their pockets. However, the feared coup d'état did not take place. W. T. Cosgrave was determined to adhere to the principles of democracy that he had practised while in government. Likewise, the army,
Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...
and the civil service all accepted the change of government, despite the fact that they would now be taking orders from men who had been their enemies less than ten years previously. After a brief and uneventful meeting in the Dáil chamber, Éamon de Valera was appointed President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State by the
Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
, James McNeill, who had come to Leinster House to make the appointment rather than require de Valera travel to the Viceregal Lodge, formerly a symbol of British rule. He formed the
6th Executive Council of the Irish Free State 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
. Fianna Fáil, a party led by many of the men most closely identified with opposing the existence of the state ten years earlier, were now the party of government. The 1932 general election was the beginning of a sixteen-year period in government for Fianna Fáil.


Membership changes


First time TDs

*
Brian Brady Brian Myles Brady (29 March 1903 – 10 September 1949) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. Born Bernard Myles Brady to Myles Brady, merchant, and Sarah Murrin of Killybegs. He represented Donegal and Donegal West in Dáil Éireann as a memb ...
* Gerald Bartley *
William Broderick William Joseph Broderick (20 May 1877 – 1 June 1957) was an Irish politician and farmer. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East constituency at the 1932 general election. He was ...
* William Browne * Patrick Burke *
Thomas Dowdall Thomas Patrick Dowdall (1872 – 7 April 1942) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and company director. Early life He was born at Chatham Barracks, Gillingham, Kent, the son of Charles Dowdall, colour sergeant in the 48th foot, and Margar ...
*
Francis Gormley Francis Gormley (1899 – 20 December 1974) was an Irish politician and soldier. Gormley was born at Esker, Killoe, County Longford in 1899. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Longford–Westmea ...
* James Kelly *
Raphael Keyes Raphael Patrick Keyes was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was born in Cork, and was a cinema proprietor when elected to the Oireachtas. During the Irish War of Independence he was captain of the Bantry company of the fifth battalion of Iri ...
*
John Kiersey John Kiersey (25 October 1875 – 18 March 1960) was an Irish politician and farmer. He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize ...
* Conor Maguire *
Sydney Minch Sydney Basil Minch (14 June 1893 – 25 March 1970) was an Irish politician, army officer and brewer. He was born 14 June 1893 in Rockfield, Athy, County Kildare, one of five sons of Matthew Minch, nationalist and anti-Parnellite Member of parl ...
*
Edward Moane Edward Moane (2 August 1890 – 11 July 1973) was an Irish politician and farmer. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo South constituency at the 1932 general election. He was re-elected at ...
* Patrick Murphy *
Fred McDonogh Frederick McDonogh (died 1 December 1955) was an Irish politician. A solicitor, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in ...
* Eugene O'Brien *
Patrick O'Hara Patrick O'Hara was an Irish politician, general merchant and farmer. He stood as an National League Party candidate at the June 1927 general election but was not elected. He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála ...
*
James Reidy James Reidy (1890 – 7 December 1963) was an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick constituency at the 1932 general election. He was re-elected at the 1933 gener ...
* Robert Ryan


Outgoing TDs

* William Aird (Deceased) *
Edmond Carey Edmond Carey (6 March 1883 – 26 March 1943) was an Irish politician. A vintner, he was an unsuccessful Independent candidate at the June 1927 general election, but was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála A Tea ...
(Lost seat) * Michael Connolly (Lost seat) *
Peter de Loughry Peter de Loughry (or Deloughry; 1883 – 23 October 1931) was an Irish nationalist and politician, who was a leadership figure in Kilkenny city in the early 20th century. Background De Loughry married Winifred Murphy in 1911. Winifred would sh ...
(Retired) * William Kent (Lost seat) * Michael Óg McFadden (Lost seat) * Arthur Matthews (Lost seat) * Thomas Mullins (Retired) *
Martin McDonogh Martin McDonogh (1858 – 24 November 1934) was an Irish politician. Early life Born in Gorumna, Connemara, to Thomas McDonogh and Honoria Hernon, McDonogh was the second son of six children who survived to adulthood. He was a cousin of the wri ...
(Lost seat) *
Thomas J. O'Connell Thomas Joseph O'Connell (21 November 1882 – 22 June 1969) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from 1927 to 1932. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1922 to 1932. He was a Senator for the Cultura ...
(Lost seat) *
Patrick O'Dowd Patrick Joseph O'Dowd (1 March 1892 – 19 June 1968) was an Irish politician and medical practitioner. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Roscommon constituency at the June 1927 general election ...
(Lost seat)


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish General Election, 1932 General election, 1932 General election, 1932
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7th Dáil February 1932 events