1932 Irish general election

Campaign

The election campaign between the two ideologically opposed parties was reasonably peaceful. However, during the campaign, the government prosecuted de Valera's newly established newspaper, The Irish Press. The editor was also brought before a military tribunal. This was seen by many as a major blunder and a serious infringement on freedom of speech. The "red scare" tactics also seemed to backfire on the government.

Two days before the election, Patrick Reynolds, a Cumann na nGaedheal TD was assassinated in Ballinamore. A garda detective was murdered in the same incident. The poll in Leitrim–Sligo was postponed and Reynolds' widow Mary was elected.

Cumann na nGaedheal

Cumann na nGaedheal fought the general election on its record of providing ten years of stable government. The party claimed to have brought stability following the chaos of the Irish Civil War and to have provided honest government. However, by 1932 this provision of solid government was wearing thin, particularly since the party had no solution to the collapse in trade which followed the depression of the early 1930s. Instead of offering new policies, the party believed that its record in government would be enough to retain power. Cumann na nGaedheal also played the "red scare" tactic, describing Fianna Fáil as communists and likening Éamon de Valera to Joseph Stalin.

Fianna Fáil

In comparison to Cumann na nGaedheal, Fianna Fáil had an elaborate election programme, designed to appeal to a wide section of the electorate. It played down its republicanism to avoid alarm, but provided very popular social and economic policies. The party promised to free IRA prisoners, abolish the Oath of allegiance and reduce the powers of the Governor-General and the Senate. It also promised the introduction of protectionist policies, industrial development, self-sufficiency and improvements in housing and social security benefits.

Result

|seats_% = 47.1 |fpv_% = 44.5 |seats_% = 37.3 |fpv_% = 35.3 |seats_% = 4.6 |fpv_% = 7.7 |seats_% = 1.9 |fpv_% = 1.8 |seats_% = 0 |fpv_% = 0.3 |seats_% = 0 |fpv_% = 0.1 |seats_% = 9.1 |fpv_% = 10.4 |}

Voting summary

Seats summary

Government formation

Although Cumann na nGaedheal only lost five seats, the minor parties were decimated. Most of their support bled to Fianna Fáil, leaving it five seats short of an overall majority. Despite this, Fianna Fáil looked like the only party that could realistically form a government. Discussions began immediately after the election and an agreement was reached in which the Labour Party would support Fianna Fáil. The party now had the necessary votes to form a minority government. After the results were announced, newly elected Fianna Fáil TD Seán Moylan proclaimed that the election was a victory of "the owners of the donkey and cart over the pony and trap class".

On 9 March 1932 the first change of government in the Irish Free State took place. Many in the country and abroad wondered if the true test of democracy would be passed. The men who won a civil war only ten years before now had to hand over power to their opponents. Similar to when the party first entered the Dáil in 1927, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs arrived at Leinster House with guns in their pockets. It later emerged that Eoin O'Duffy, Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, had urged a military coup. However, W. T. Cosgrave was determined to adhere to the principles of democracy that he had practised while in government. Likewise, the army, Garda and the civil service all accepted the change of government, despite the fact that they would now be taking orders from men who had been their enemies less than ten years previously. After a brief and uneventful meeting in the Dáil chamber, Éamon de Valera was nominated as President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. He was then formally appointed by the Governor-General, James McNeill, who had come to Leinster House to make the appointment rather than require de Valera travel to the Viceregal Lodge, formerly a symbol of British rule. He formed the 6th Executive Council of the Irish Free State. Fianna Fáil, a party led by many of the men most closely identified with opposing the existence of the state ten years earlier, were now the party of government. The 1932 general election was the beginning of a sixteen-year period in government for Fianna Fáil.

Membership changes

First time TDs

• Brian Brady
• Gerald Bartley
• William Broderick
• William Browne
• Patrick Burke
• Thomas Dowdall
• Francis Gormley
• James Kelly
• Raphael Keyes
• John Kiersey
• Conor Maguire
• Sydney Minch
• Edward Moane
• Patrick Murphy
• Fred McDonogh
• Eugene O'Brien
• Patrick O'Hara
• James Reidy
• Robert Ryan

Outgoing TDs

• William Aird (Deceased)
• Edmond Carey (Lost seat)
• Michael Connolly (Lost seat)
• Peter de Loughry (Retired)
• William Kent (Lost seat)
• Michael Óg McFadden (Lost seat)
• Arthur Matthews (Lost seat)
• Thomas Mullins (Retired)
• Martin McDonogh (Lost seat)
• Thomas J. O'Connell (Lost seat)
• Patrick O'Dowd (Lost seat)
• Patrick Reynolds (Murdered during campaign)

Notes

References

References

1. {{cite Irish legislation. (1927). (19 March 1927)
2. {{cite Irish legislation. (1927). (22 May 1927)
3. "7th Dáil 1932: National University of Ireland".
4. "Former TD was 'synonymous with Fine Gael in Leitrim'". The Irish Times.
5. (1989). "The Dynamics of Irish Politics". Lawrence & Wishart.
6. (2004). "Politics in the Republic of Ireland". Routledge.
7. "7th Dáil 1932 General Election". ElectionsIreland.org.
8. "Dáil elections since 1918". ARK Northern Ireland.
9. (2010). "Elections in Europe: A data handbook". Nomos.
10. Ferriter, Diarmuid. (28 January 2022). "Diarmaid Ferriter: Fianna Fáil now bereft of its catch-all credentials". [[The Irish Times]].