The United Citizens Party contested the 1930 Local Elections in Dun Laoghaire. This episode takes a look at them and also at the Cumann na nGaedheal attitude to contesting Local Elections as well as Fine Gaels attitude to contesting them.
From the 1932 General Election an ad attacking Fianna Fail from Cumann na nGaedhael. Lots of scaremongering. Were Fianna Fail to get in “It would not need your vote to keep it in power. The Gun Bullies would Do that”. Theres more along those lines as well as The “Bankruptcy of Thousands of Farmers and Indian Meal Porridge all year”
From the 1932 General Elections an attack on Fianna Fail from Cumann na nGaedheal ‘Farmers! Keep a Firm Grip of Your Homesteads’. The attack was related to Fianna Fails Land Annuity policy.
From the 1933 General Election campaign “This is What Cosgrave Will Do…” which details what Cumann na nGaedheal would do should they be elected to government.This 1933 General Election was the last election fought by Cumann na nGaedheal, as later that year they merged with the National Centre Party and the National Guard (Blueshirts) to form Fine Gael.
Dr Ciara Meehan explains the history of election posters, with some examples of Cumann na nGaedheal posters from the 1920’s and 1930’s.
I’ve some of the posters mentioned in the clip on the site along with other Cumann na nGaedheal material here
From the 1932 General Election a poster “Cosgrave Works while De Valera swears -Vote Cumann na nGaedhael”. Presumably the swear is a reference to the Oath.
Two great posters from the 1932 General Election produced by Cumann na nGaedheal. (via the National Library of Ireland’s Flickr Photostream)
The first one is
“…designed to counter Fianna Fáil protests at the amount of money being paid out as military pensions to ex-members of the National Army.
In response, the text of this poster roundly condemns Fianna Fáil for causing the Irish Civil War, a conflict that cost the Saorstát “Thirty-Five Million Pounds”.
This poster is incidentally a great source for the sums involved in the Damage to Property (Compensation) Act following the Irish Civil War. Obviously not all claimants are listed here. In fact, Cumann na nGaedheal make the point that a complete list “would require a score of Posters of this size”, but some of the sums were astronomical for the time:
The Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street, Dublin: £102,905
The Freeman’s Journal, Townsend Street, Dublin: £49,390
Mitchelstown Castle, Cork: £46,475
Cork Examiner, Cork: £16,500
Bessborough House, Piltown, Kilkenny: £50,270
Condensed Milk Company, Tipperary: £59,290
Blacksod Whaling Company, Mayo: £4,950
The second one
“references popular culture in the form of records, implying that the chorus of all Fianna Fáil “songs” is the threat of war”
Other record related leaflets I’ve posted to date include this one from Alan Shatter in 2007
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From the 1932 General Election Campaign some scathing anti Fianna Fail and De Valera ads from Cumann na nGaedhael.
And we think negative campaigning is bad now!
From the 1923 General Election and a piece from Cumann na nGaedhael illustrating some of the issues of the time .
“The Challenge – Government and Order V The Irregulars and Anarchy”
Tiesan Cafe (46b Harrington st, Dublin 8 ) is currently exhibiting Irish posters from the 1930s.
The exhibition shows a series of Cumann na nGaedheal posters and fliers mainly taken from the 1932 general election. The exhibition was covered recently in the Irish Independent
Below a small sample of whats on show. I intend popping in there myself in the near future.
Many thanks to the sender.
“No Land Annuities Till November 1934” a Cumann na nGaedheal ad from the 1933 General Election. It was the partys last General Election before the merger with the National Centre Party and the National Guard in September 1933 to form Fine Gael.
From the 1932 General Election “Please! Don’t Commit any More Murders” Screams the headline with the request to “Keep Your Bullwark Against The Terrorists Vote for Cumann na nGaedheal”
Many thanks to the sender.
A series of wonderful Cumann na nGaedhael Posters from the 1932 General Election.
The famous ‘The Shadow Of The Gunman -Keep It From Your Home’ Poster from Cumann na nGaedhael. It was from the 1932 General Election. The other Posters I think are from 1932 also.
There was some imagination used in the making of the posters and through some of the messages you can see that The Civil War was still fresh in the Poster Designers minds.
Many thanks to the sender.
Irish Election Literature 
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