Fianna Fail and Irish Labour

Fianna Fail, Ireland's republican party, has held office longer than any other political party in Europe, gaining the support of Ireland's ruling class, the Catholic Church and the country's working people. In exploring the reasons for this achievement, the author of this text provides a history of Fianna Fail since Irish independence and its links with the country's labour movement. Challenging accepted views on the Party's rise to power, he demonstrates that, contrary to official ideology, the party has shown little interest in ending the partition of Ireland and that the partnership of Fianna Fail and the Catholic Bishops is now breaking up as new social forces emerge. The broad support for Fianna Fail across the country is analyzed, along with its political hegemony over the country's labour movement, which suggests that Fianna Fail has been unable to prevent class divisions within Irish society. Examining the strong links between Fianna Fail and the country's unionized workers, who account for over 45 per cent of the total workforce, the author argues the Irish working class has now outgrown the Party.