Republican Congress

Political organisation in Republic of Ireland

Republican Congress

An Chomhdháil Phoblachtach

Founder| Peadar O'Donnell
Founded| 1934
Dissolved| 1936
Split from| Irish Republican Army
Paramilitary wing| Connolly Column (1936)
Irish Citizen Army
Ideology|

* Irish republicanism
* Socialism
* Left-wing nationalism

Factions:

* Vanguardism
* United front

Political position| Far-left
Colours| Blue and white
Party flag

Starry Plough of the Congress

* Politics of the Republic of Ireland
* Political parties
* Elections

* Politics of Northern Ireland
* Political parties
* Elections

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Irish republicanism

Concepts

* Abstentionism
* Anti-imperialism
* Armalite and ballot box strategy
* Dissident republican
* Éire Nua
* Fenian
* Irish nationalism
* Irish republican legitimism
* New Departure
* Radicalism
* Republicanism
* United Ireland

History

* Irish Rebellion of 1798
* Acts of Union 1800
* Irish rebellion of 1803
* Young Ireland rebellion
* Fenian Rising
* Fenian raids
* Fenian dynamite campaign
* Easter Rising
* 1918 general election
* Irish revolutionary period
* Irish War of Independence
* Irish Civil War
* 1932 general election
* S-Plan
* Border Campaign
* The Troubles
* Arms Crisis
* 1981 Irish hunger strike
* Good Friday Agreement
* Dissident Irish republican campaign

People

* Gerry Adams
* Cathal Brugha
* Neil Blaney
* Tom Clarke
* James Connolly
* Seamus Costello
* Éamon de Valera
* Robert Emmet
* Cathal Goulding
* Thomas J. Kelly
* Seán Mac Stíofáin
* Seán MacBride
* Terence MacSwiney
* Constance Markievicz
* Bernadette Devlin
* Martin McGuinness
* John Mitchel
* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
* Dáithí Ó Conaill
* Peadar O'Donnell
* John O'Mahony
* Patrick Pearse
* Seán Russell
* Bobby Sands
* Seán South
* James Stephens
* Wolfe Tone
* Moss Twomey

Active parties

* Aontú
* Éirígí
* Fianna Fáil
* Irish Republican Socialist Party
* Republican Network for Unity
* Republican Sinn Féin
* Saoradh
* Sinn Féin

Defunct parties

* All Ireland Anti-Partition League
* Anti H-Block
* Aontacht Éireann
* Clann na Poblachta
* Clann Éireann
* Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist–Leninist)
* Córas na Poblachta
* Cumann na Poblachta
* Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann
* Fianna Uladh
* Independent Fianna Fáil
* Irish Anti-Partition League
* Irish Independence Party
* Irish Socialist Republican Party
* Irish Workers' Group (1976)
* National Corporate Party
* Northern Council for Unity
* Republican Congress
* Republican Labour Party
* Republican Socialist Collective
* Saor Éire
* SLISO
* Socialist Republican Party

Militant groups

Active

* Arm na Poblachta
* Continuity IRA
* Cumann na mBan‎
* Fianna Éireann
* Irish Republican Liberation Army
* Irish Republican Movement
* New IRA

Inactive

* Irish National Liberation Army
* Óglaigh na hÉireann (Real IRA splinter group)

Defunct

* Connolly Column
* Irish Brigade
* Irish Citizen Army
* Irish National Invincibles
* Irish People's Liberation Organisation
* Irish Republican Army (1919–1922)
* Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
* Irish Republican Brotherhood
* Irish Revolutionary Forces
* Irish Volunteers
* Official IRA
* Provisional IRA
* Real IRA
* Republican Action Against Drugs
* Republican Defence Army
* Saor Éire (1967–1975)
* Saor Uladh
* Society of United Irishmen
* South Armagh Republican Action Force
* Young Ireland

Active organisations

* 32 County Sovereignty Movement
* Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland
* Cabhair
* Connolly Association
* Connolly Youth Movement
* IRPWA
* Irish National Congress
* IRSCNA
* NORAID
* National Graves Association
* National Graves Association, Belfast
* Ógra Fianna Fáil
* Ógra Shinn Féin
* Revolutionary Housing League
* Wolfe Tone Societies

Defunct organisations

* Clan na Gael
* Clann na hÉireann
* Comhairle na Poblachta
* Dungannon Clubs
* Emmet Monument Association
* Fenian Brotherhood
* Friends of Irish Freedom
* Irish Republican Brotherhood
* Irish Republican Voice
* Irish Socialist Federation
* League of Communist Republicans
* Northern Resistance Movement
* People's Democracy
* Phoenix National and Literary Society
* Troops Out Movement

Media

* An Phoblacht
* Daily Ireland
* Evening Press
* Guerrilla Days in Ireland
* IRIS Magazine
* Irish Freedom
* Republican News
* Saoirse Irish Freedom
* Sinn Féin
* The Gaelic American
* The Hibernia Magazine
* The Irish Felon
* The Irish People
* The Irish Press
* The Nation
* The Phoenix
* The Starry Plough
* The Sunday Press
* United Irishman (1848 newspaper)
* United Irishman (1948 newspaper)

Culture

* Celtic F.C.
* Christy Moore
* Black 47
* The Dubliners
* Easter Lily
* Flying Column (music group)
* Irish rebel songs
* Marxman
* Kneecap
* The Wolfe Tones

* Politics portal
* Ireland portal

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The Republican Congress (Irish: An Chomhdháil Phoblachtach) was an Irish republican political organisation founded in 1934, when pro-communist republicans left the Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army. The Congress was led by such anti-Treaty veterans as Peadar O'Donnell, Frank Ryan and George Gilmore. In their later phase they were involved with the Communist International and International Brigades paramilitary; the Connolly Column.

The group claimed: "We believe that a republic of a united Ireland will never be achieved except through a struggle which uproots capitalism on its way."[1] They were not a political party as such, but rather an extraparliamentary organisation dedicated to creating a "workers' republic," which leaned towards the Communist Party of Ireland. They split mostly over whether they should be a party in their own right.

## History

[edit]

### Background

[edit]

A group of republicans had founded a party, Saor Éire, in 1931, but it was banned later in the year. Despite this, many figures on the left wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) felt that the creation of a new party remained a priority, as they feared that supporters would otherwise turn to Fianna Fáil and the Communist Party of Ireland. The IRA organised a convention of its members in March 1934, which voted against creating a new party by a majority of one.[2] The supporters of a new party, including Ryan, Michael Price, Gilmore, O'Donnell and Mick Fitzgerald, then walked out, and proceeded to create a new organisation.[3]

### Establishment

[edit]

On 8 April 1934, the founding conference of the Republican Congress party was held in Athlone, and a head office was established on Pearse Street in Dublin. The IRA published a statement which described the new party as "an attack by Republicans [which] can only assist the campaign of the Capitalist and Imperialist elements", and stating that they expected the party would soon drop abstentionism towards the Dáil. The former IRA members in the party leadership were expelled from the paramilitary organisation, but some less prominent figures, including Sheila Humphreys, Eithnie Coyle, Charles Reynolds, Seamus de Burca and George Leonard withdrew once they saw the IRA statement. However, other IRA members were won over and joined the Congress, including Liam Kelly, Joseph Doyle, Nora Connolly O'Brien and Roddy Connolly.[3]

During this time, those involved in the Republican Congress developed the concept of a "triple alliance" that would need to unite to advance the workers' cause in Ireland: A socialist Party, a paramilitary force and one big union. The socialist party would, of course, be the Republic Congress itself whilst the "One Big Union" (a concept taken from Industrial Workers of the World) would be ITGWU. As for the paramilitary force, the Republican Congress set about reviving James Connolly's Irish Citizen Army which had been largely inactive since 1919. Frank Ryan and Michael Price were amongst Congress members set to the task and they quickly made headway, with an estimated 300 members brought under the ICA banner in 1934.[4]

Two councillors were elected as Republican Congress candidates in Westmeath and Dundalk in 1934. At the Republican rally at Bodenstown in 1934, clashes occurred between Republican Congress supporters and IRA members. Congress supporters among the crowd of about 17,000 were estimated at between 600 and 2,000. The IRA leadership did not authorise banners other than its own and ordered the Congress banners to be seized. The clash was given a sectarian element by the attack on 36 Congress members from the predominantly Loyalist parts of West Belfast – they formed the Shankill Road branch – who carried a banner reading, "Unite Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter to break the connection with Capitalism".

### Infighting and Demise

[edit]

Following moderate success in agitating on behalf of the workers the Congress split at its first annual conference held in Rathmines Town Hall on September 8–9, 1934. The split occurred mainly due to organisational disunity between two factions. One side, which included the likes of Peadar O'Donnell,[5] Frank Ryan and George Gilmore[6] believed that a popular front of left-wing republicans could challenge the dominance of the mainstream political parties and form a "republic". The opposing faction, which included Roddy Connolly[7] and Michael Price, believed that a political party should be formed in order to fight for a "workers' republic". Those calling for a Popular Front won a vote on the matter and in response, those calling for a "Workers' Republic", including Price, withdrew their support and left the Congress.[3]

The group went into decline thereafter. An attempt to form a 100-member military-style organisation to infiltrate the political, social and trade union movements came to nothing, and in 1936 the party ran out of money. It briefly replaced its weekly newspaper, Republican Congress, with a new publication, the Irish People, but this made no difference, and the party office closed down. Despite this, the remaining leaders worked with the Community Party of Ireland to hold a series of public meetings, led by Willie Gallacher from the Communist Party of Great Britain, but following crowd trouble, these were abandoned, and the group undertook no public activities after November 1936.[3]

The Congress had its last hurrah on the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War when a group of Irishmen fought for the Second Spanish Republic as part of the Communist International Brigades.

## Members

[edit]

* Roddy Connolly
* Nora Connolly O'Brien
* Eithne Coyle \- Joined the Congress but quickly resigned after members of Cumann na mBan expressed contention
* Peter Daly
* Charles Donnelly
* Frank Edwards
* George Gilmore
* Victor Halley
* Sheila Humphreys \- Joined the Congress but quickly resigned after members of Cumann na mBan expressed contention
* William McCullough
* Seán McLoughlin
* William McMullen \- Cited in some sources as Chairman[8]
* Peter O'Connor
* Gearóid Ó Cuinneagáin \- Served as an editorial writer of the Republican Congress's Irish language newspaper An tÉireannach. However, he resigned after a few months and later came to renounce socialism in favour of Fascism. Would go on to found Ailtirí na hAiséirghe.
* Peadar O'Donnell
* Michael O'Riordan
* Thomas Patten
* Mick Price
* Frank Ryan
* Jack White

## See also

[edit]

* Irish Socialist Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Athlone Manifesto (8 April 1934), quoted in Republican Congress 5 May 1934
2. ^ MacEoin, Uinseann (1997). The IRA in the Twilight Years: 1923–1948. Dublin: Argenta. p. 10\. ISBN 9780951117248.
3. ^ a b c d Tim Pat Coogan, The IRA, pp.79-84
4. ^ "The Irish Citizens' Army". SIPTU.ie. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
5. ^ White, Lawrence William (July 2005). "Peadar O'Donnell, 'Real Republicanism' and The Bell". Retrieved 24 March 2021. "Republican Congress divided at its first national conference between those who wished to launch a new socialist political party seeking as an immediate objective a 'workers' republic' and those who, following O'Donnell, wished the new venture to remain what it was: a congress, a coming together of all republican opinion representing disparate organisations, to pursue the common objective of 'the republic'."
6. ^ Diarmaid Ferriter (October 2009). "Gilmore, George Frederick". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
7. ^ Byrne, Patrick. "The Irish Republican Congress Revisited". Retrieved 24 March 2021.
8. ^ "McMullen, William". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 14 January 2022.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Brian Hanley, The IRA 1926-1936
* Sean Cronin, Frank Ryan: The Search for the Republic
* Donal O'Drisceoil, Peadar O'Donnell
* Paddy Bryne - "Memoirs of the Republic Congress"
* Eugene Downing, a CPI member was interviewed and describes the Bodenstown episode of 1934

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XV International Brigade – Abraham Lincoln

Commanders|

* János Gálicz (Jan–Feb 1937)
* Vladimir Ćopić (Feb–Jul 1937)
* Klaus Becker (Jul–Aug 1937)
* Vladimir Ćopić (Aug 1937–Mar 1938)
* Robert Hale Merriman (Mar–Apr 1938)
* Vladimir Ćopić (Apr–May 1938)
* José Antonio Valledor Álvarez (May–Sep 1938)

Battalions|

* British Battalion
* Lincoln Battalion (incl. American Medical Bureau & Connolly Column)
* Dimitrov Battalion
* Sixth of February Battalion
* 24 Battalion
* Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion
* Washington Battalion

People|

* William Aalto
* Bernard Ades
* Bill Alexander
* Hans Amlie
* Edward K. Barsky
* James Walker Benét
* Alvah Bessie
* Delmer Berg
* Herman Bottcher
* Edward A. Carter Jr.
* Christopher Caudwell
* Lewis Clive
* Morris Cohen
* Robert Garland Colodny
* Fred Copeman
* John Cornford
* Jock Cunningham
* Peter Daly
* Peko Dapčević
* Carmelo Delgado Delgado
* Philip Detro
* Charles Donnelly
* Bob Doyle
* Petar Drapšin
* Frank Edwards
* Leo Eloesser
* Moe Fishman
* Hugh Garner
* John Gates
* David Guest
* Jason Gurney
* William Herrick
* Robert Hilliard
* Jack Jones
* Salaria Kea
* Robert Klonsky
* Oliver Law
* Laurie Lee
* Maurice Levitas
* Yank Levy
* Matti Mattson
* Alex McDade
* Paddy Roe McLaughlin
* Kosta Nađ
* Conlon Nancarrow
* George Nathan
* Steve Nelson
* Paddy O'Daire
* John O'Reilly
* Michael O'Riordan
* Thomas Patten
* Will Paynter
* Koča Popović
* Harry Wayland Randall
* Patrick Read
* Esmond Romilly
* Frank Ryan
* Alfred Sherman
* George Sossenko
* Stephen Spender
* Wally Tapsell
* Robert G. Thompson
* Tom Wintringham
* Milton Wolff

Political parties|

* Communist Party USA
* Communist Party of Great Britain
* Communist Party of Canada
* Communist Party of Ireland
* Republican Congress
* Communist Party of Yugoslavia
* Communist Party of Cuba

Related|

* International Brigades
* Communist International
* Yankee Squadron
* International Brigade Memorial Trust
* Jarama Valley
* Songs of the Lincoln Battalion
* Viva la Quinta Brigada
* Jewish volunteers
* Yugoslav volunteers
* Irish volunteers
* Yugoslav Partisans
* Atomic spies
* Smith Act

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Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)

General|

* Genealogy
* Irish Republican Army (1919–1922)
* British Partition (Northern Ireland & Southern Ireland)
* Anglo-Irish Treaty (in relation to the IRA)
* Irish Civil War (Timeline & Executions)
* Munster Republic
* Comhairle na dTeachtaí
* Irish republican legitimism
* Abstentionism
* Collaboration with the Abwehr
* The Emergency
* Plan Kathleen
* Haughey arms crisis
* Officials-Provisionals split

Organisation|

* IRA Army Council
* IRA Northern Command
* IRA Southern Command

Attacks|

* Battle of Dublin
* Battle of Kilmallock
* Anti-Treaty Guerrilla Campaign
* Christmas Raid
* Sabotage Campaign
* Northern Campaign
* Border Campaign

Chiefs of Staff|

* Liam Lynch (1922)
* Joe McKelvey (1922)
* Liam Lynch (1922–23)
* Frank Aiken (1923–25)
* Andrew Cooney (1925–26)
* Moss Twomey (1926–36)
* Seán MacBride (1936)
* Tom Barry (1936–37)
* Mick Fitzpatrick (1937–38)
* Seán Russell (1938–40)
* Stephen Hayes (1940–41)
* Pearse Kelly (1941)
* Seán Harrington (1941–42)
* Seán McCool (1942)
* Eoin McNamee (1942)
* Hugh McAteer (1942)
* Charlie Kerins (1942–44)
* Harry White (1944–45)
* Patrick Fleming (1945–47)
* Willie McGuinness (1947–48)
* Tony Magan (1948–57)
* Richard Burke (1957)
* Tony Magan (1957)
* Seán Cronin (1957–58)
* John Joe McGirl (1958)
* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh (1958–59)
* Seán Cronin (1959–60)
* Ruairí Ó Brádaigh (1960–62)
* Cathal Goulding (1962–69)

Personalities|

* Cathal Brugha
* Liam Mellows
* Erskine Childers
* Michael Carolan
* Richard Barrett
* Hugh Corvin
* Ernie O'Malley
* Tom Maguire
* Paddy McLogan
* Seamus O'Donovan
* Frank Ryan
* Máirtín Ó Cadhain
* Brendan Behan
* Dominic Behan
* Tomás Ó Dubhghaill
* Seán South
* Fergal O'Hanlon
* Manus Canning
* Seán Mac Stíofáin
* Joe Cahill
* Joe McCann
* Liam Kelly
* Tom Hales
* Peadar O'Donnell
* Éamonn O'Doherty
* Patrick McGrath (Irish republican)
* Billy McKee
* Tarlach Ó hUid

Associates|

* Cumann na mBan
* Fianna Éireann
* Sinn Féin (1922–26 & 1938–69)
* Clan na Gael
* National Graves Association
* Comhairle na Poblachta (1929–31)
* Saor Éire (1931)
* Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann (1936–37)
* Córas na Poblachta
* Connolly Association (Communist Party of Great Britain)
* Wolfe Tone Societies
* Clann na hÉireann

Derivatives|

* Republican Congress
* Saor Uladh
* Provisional Irish Republican Army
* Official Irish Republican Army

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Defunct political parties in Ireland

to 1918|

| Home Rule/Nationalist|

* All-for-Ireland League
* Catholic Union
* Healyite Nationalist
* Home Government Association
* Home Rule League
* Independent Irish Party
* Irish National Federation
* Irish National League
* Irish Parliamentary Party
* Irish Patriot Party
* Irish Reform Association
* Irish Socialist Republican Party
* Repeal Association
* United Irish League

|

Unionist|

* Irish Conservative Party
* Irish Liberal Party
* Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union
* Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society
* Irish Unionist Alliance

Pan-UK parties|

* Radicals
* Tories
* Whigs

post 1918|

| Communist and far-left|

* British and Irish Communist Organisation
* Communist Organisation in the British Isles
* Communist Party of Ireland (1933)
* Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist–Leninist)
* Independent Socialist Party
* Irish Worker League
* Irish Workers' Group
* Irish Workers' Group (1976)
* Irish Workers' Party (1926)
* Irish Workers' Party (1948)
* League of Communist Republicans
* League for a Workers' Republic
* Vanguard Movement
* People's Democracy
* Republican Congress
* Republican Socialist Collective
* Revolutionary Workers' Groups
* Saor Éire
* Socialist Party of Ireland (1904)
* Socialist Party of Ireland (1971)
* World Socialist Party

|

Socialist and left-wing|

* Cork Socialist Party
* Democratic Left
* Democratic Socialist Party
* National Labour Party
* National Progressive Democrats
* Sligo–Leitrim Independent Socialist Organisation
* Socialist Labour Party
* United Left
* United Left Alliance

Republican and nationalist|

* All Ireland Anti-Partition League
* Anti H-Block
* Aontacht Éireann
* Clann Éireann
* Clann na Poblachta
* Cumann na Poblachta
* Cumann Poblachta na hÉireann
* Independent Fianna Fáil
* Irish Anti-Partition League
* Irish Independence Party
* National Party (1924)
* Northern Council for Unity

Liberal|

* Community Democrats of Ireland
* Liberal Party of Ireland
* Progressive Democrats
* Women's Social and Progressive League

Agrarian|

* Clann na Talmhan
* Farmers' Party
* National Democratic Party

Conservative and right-wing|

* Business and Professional Group
* Cork Civic Party
* Cumann na nGaedheal
* Libertas
* National Centre Party
* National League Party
* Social Credit Party

Christian right|

* Catholic Democrats
* Christian Centrist Party
* Christian Democrat Party of Ireland
* Christian Solidarity Party
* Muintir na hÉireann
* Poblacht Chríostúil

Unionist|

* Donegal Progressive Party
* Irish Centre Party
* Irish Dominion League
* Unionist Anti-Partition League

Far-right|

* Ailtirí na hAiséirghe
* Córas na Poblachta
* Identity Ireland
* Immigration Control Platform
* Irish Monetary Reform Association
* Lia Fáil
* National Corporate Party
* National Socialist Irish Workers Party

Other|

* Fathers Rights-Responsibility Party
* Independent Health Alliance
* Irish Democratic Party
* Irish Monarchist Society
* Natural Law Party
* New Vision

* Politics of the Republic of Ireland
* Current political parties in the Republic of Ireland
* Elections in the Republic of Ireland
* List of political parties by country

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