Sir, - It is time to clarify the history of Fine Gael in relation to the blueshirts for Ms Tobin (March 3rd) and any other equally confused readers. One of the first acts of the victorious Fianna Fail party in 1932 was to release IRA men, many of whom had been imprisoned since the Civil War. The danger that these men posed to the new democracy is evident in de Valera's introduction of the Offences Against The State Act in 1939 which allowed for internment without trial. The releases were perilous for Cumann na nGaedheal too, the party which had ensured the tranquil transfer of power to men who had been military adversaries a decade beforehand, and the party needed protection. The Army Comrades Association provided the necessary security in what had become an increasingly belligerent atmosphere. Fianna Fail deputies allegedly carried revolvers into the Dail on the day their party took office. The fusion of Cumann na nGaedhaeal and the National Centre Party occurred in September 1933. Around this time, O'Duffy reorganised the ACA into the now infamous blueshirted National Guard. There will always be one rotten apple in the basket and O'Duffy was that apple.
Ms Tobin may wonder how all of this affirms Fine Gael's democratic credentials. The legislation invoked by Fianna Fail to counter the Blueshirt threat was Cosgrave's 1931 Public Safety Act and Military Tribunal. De Valera had criticised this legislation during Cumann na nGaedheal's reign because he perceived it as fascist; yet here he was using it. What this whole saga illustrates is the greatness of Fine Gael's heritage: we equipped de Valera with the Act that he need to destroy O'Duffy. So even if elements of our party strayed into the unconstitutional path, the rest of the party had created legislation with which to destroy them. That is why I said that we are `true democrats and patriots" (February 26th); and now that Ms Tobin's knowledge of history has been augmented, I am confident she would agree. - Yours, etc.,
From Andrew Greaney
Young Fine Gael, Trinity College, Dublin 2.