Independent Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil Neamhspleách[1] | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Neil Blaney |
| Founded | 1972 (1972) |
| Dissolved | 2006 (2006) |
| Split from | Fianna Fáil |
| Merged into | Fianna Fáil |
| Ideology | Irish republicanism |
| European affiliation | European Free Alliance |
| European Parliament group | Technical Group of Independents (1979–1984) Rainbow Group (1989–1994) |
Independent Fianna Fáil (IFF), sometimes called theIndependent Fianna Fáil Republican Party,[2][3] was a splinter republican party inIreland created byNeil Blaney after his expulsion fromFianna Fáil following the IrishArms Crisis (1969–1970). The party ceased to exist on 26 July 2006. It was never an officially registered political party:Niall Blaney said in 2003 "I am an Independent and a member of an organisation known locally as Independent Fianna Fáil".[4] Its candidates were listed on ballot papers without a party label, or the use of the "Non-party" label available to independents.[5] However, theOireachtas members' database lists Independent Fianna Fáil members separately.[6]
The party existed mainly inCounty Donegal in Ireland and, in particular, in Blaney's former constituency ofDonegal North-East.[3]
Paddy Keaveney (father of Fianna Fáil SenatorCecilia Keaveney) was elected for Independent Fianna Fáil in theby-election in 1976 following the death ofLiam Cunningham. Keaveney lost his seat at the1977 general election. The group also briefly had a senator,James Larkin, which was part of theconfidence and supply agreement made withFianna Fáil after theFebruary 1982 general election.[3]
In1979 Neil Blaney was elected to theEuropean Parliament for theConnacht–Ulster constituency. He sat in theTechnical Group of Independents which was a technical alliance of mainlyleft-wingMEPs who were not allied with either theCommunists and Allies group or the mainstreamsocial-democratic parties of theSocialist Group. Blaney served as chair of the group along with the Italian RadicalMarco Pannella and Danish left-wingEuroscepticJens-Peter Bonde. Blaney narrowly lost his seat in the1984 election but was returned to serve as an MEP in1989 election where he sat with the regionalistRainbow Group.[7]
Independent Fianna Fáil was a founder member of theEuropean Free Alliance in 1981, and remained a member of the organisation until 1995.[8]
Tadhg Culbert was a councillor for Independent Fianna Fáil in the 1980s, before becoming an independent and eventually joining the official Fianna Fáil. IFF had also had representation onRoscommon County Council – where Paddy Lenihan, brother ofMary O'Rourke and uncle ofBrian Lenihan Jnr, defected fromFianna Fáil – and onLeitrim County Council where Larry McGowan also defected, both doing so in 1981. They both retired in 1999, and neither seat was defended on the party's behalf.
Harry Blaney became the leader of IFF following Neil Blaney's death in 1995.[9]
Blaney's nephewNiall Blaney was elected as an Independent Fianna FáilTeachta Dála (TD) for the constituency in 2002,[3] and in the2004 local elections there were two IFF county councillors – both members ofDonegal County Council – and two town councillors, one a member ofLetterkenny Town Council and one a member ofBuncrana Town Council.
In a number of elections Paddy Kelly stood unsuccessfully under the Independent Fianna Fáil banner in elections inDonegal South-West; he was however elected to the council for theGlenties ward and served as a member until 2004.[10]
Following talks withFianna Fáil in the middle of 2006, Independent Fianna Fáil reunited with "official" Fianna Fáil on 26 July following a formal application by Niall Blaney to join Fianna Fáil. The merger between the two organisations was opposed by other members of the Blaney family, including all seven children of Neil Blaney and his widow Eva who issued a damning press release prior to Niall Blaney's decision castigating the Fianna Fáil party and disassociating themselves from any so-called 'truce' with them.[9][11]
Jackie Healy-Rae,TD forKerry South, ran under the banner of Independent Fianna Fáil,[12] using the name on his posters and flyers as part of thecanvass for the2007 general election, although he had no connection to Neil Blaney's Independent Fianna Fáil.
Former Fianna Fáil Dublin City Councillor Tony Taaffe ran in the 1997 general election using the Independent Fianna Fáil banner but was not associated with Blaney's party.[13]
In October 2021 former Fianna Fáil TDMarc MacSharry suggested he was considering reviving Independent Fianna Fáil.[14]
On 26 July 2006, Niall Blaney, an Independent TD, joined Fianna Fáil.
