Fianna Fail, Irish Republicanism and the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-2005

by Catherine O'donnell

Fianna F���¡il, the Republican Party, has been defined by its emphasis on partition and its ideological commitment to reunification. Through its use of anti-partitionist rhetoric, it has been the most vociferous political party in the Republic of Ireland on Northern Ireland. Its emotive and divisive response to the outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland was seen most clearly in the Arms Crisis of 1970 which threatened to destroy the party and the stability of the state in the Republic. However, the party has also been at the centre of the Northern Ireland peace process, and the attempts at reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists and North and South. Yet there has been no substantive study of Fianna F���¡il's language, ideology, and policy on Northern Ireland since the outbreak of the Troubles. How could 'The Republican Party' be such a central player in the political changes in Northern Ireland? Has Fianna F���¡il changed its traditional republicanism and anti-partitionism? This fascinating and important new book provides an examination of Fianna F���¡il's record on Northern Ireland since 1968. It outlines the party's response to the Troubles and its guiding principles in the search for the solution. Catherine O'Donnell argues that the relationship between Fianna F���¡il and Sinn F���©in is central to understanding Fianna F���¡il's role in the peace process, which began with the Fianna F���¡il-Sinn F���©in talks in 1988. She investigates the implications of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement for Fianna F���¡il's ideology and policy on Northern Ireland and highlights the continued centrality of the relationship between Fianna F���¡il and Sinn F���©in to the peace process and politics in the Republic of Ireland. As Sinn F���©in make further electoral gains in the Republic of Ireland, this book will be essential reading for anyone wishing to understand how Republicanism is a contested electoral resource within southern politics.����

Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

Reviews

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting political history of the involvement of Fianna Fail in the Northern Ireland peace process and its ideological relationship to republicanism and Sinn Fein. The conclusion that FF's relationship to republicanism is somehow still key to party ideology seems ridiculous in hindsight—almost two decades later and they've continuously relegated the issue to the background whilst pursuing the neoliberal vs. neoliberal rivalry with Fine Gael.

The 2004 Northern Bank robbery is also treated as if it is confirmed that Sinn Fein and the Provisionals were involved, when in fact there is still no evidence 20 years later aside from false arrests and squashed convictions.