Destiny of the Soldiers - Fianna Fail, Irish Republicanism and the IRA, 1926-1973

Incisive, engaging and thought-provoking, Destiny of the Soldiers charts Fianna Fail's political and ideological evolution from its revolutionary origins through extended periods in office. Fianna Fail is Ireland's largest political party and one of the most successful parties in any democracy in the world. Until recent years, it has been almost constantly in government since 1932.. This fascinating volume argues that Fianna Fail's goals, foremost among them the reunification of the national territory as a republic, became the means to bind its members together, to gain votes, and to legitimise its role in Irish society. But the official ideological goals concealed what became merely a basic desire to rule. The balance sheet, consequently, became one of votes won or lost rather than goals achieved or postponed. Destiny of the Soldiers assesses Fianna Fail's changing attitudes towards its parent party, Sinn Fein, and the IRA, and how these changes affected Fianna Fail's policies towards Northern Ireland. Never forgetting its republican roots, Fianna Fail has at times been both troubled and conflicted by them. This was especially the case in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the Northern Ireland Troubles posed a challenge for all rhetorical republicans. At that time, Fianna Fail found itself the governing party of a state whose legitimacy it had originally rejected: the consequent tensions nearly tore it apart. Destiny of the Soldiers is the first survey of the party's history which focuses on these unresolved tensions. Destiny of the Soldiers: Table of Contents- Legion of the Rearguard: The revolutionary origins of Fianna Fail, 1920 23- Removing the straitjacket of the Republic, 1923 6- Fianna Fail the Republican Party- Fianna Fail and the Irish Free State, 1927 31- Election Time, 1931 2- Fianna Fail in power, 1932 8- Revolutionary crocodile, 1939 40- The showdown, 1940 46- A new republican rival, 1946 8- Drift, 1948 59- Approach to crisis, 1960 69- 'The moment of truth', 1969 71- Doomsday, 1971 3- Conclusions: The destiny of the Soldiers