Blueshirts
Sign in to saveThe Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, known by the nickname the Blueshirts (), was a far-right paramilitary organisation in the Irish Free State, founded in 1932. The group provided physical protection for political groups such as Cumann na nGaedheal from intimidation and attacks by the IRA. Some former members went on to fight for the Francoist faction in the Spanish Civil War.
Key facts
- Militant organization.newspaper
- The Nation
- Militant organization.ideology
- Anti-communismIrish nationalismIntegral nationalismCorporate statismNational Catholicism
- Militant organization.position
- Far-right
- Militant organization.size
- 8,337 (October 1932)38,000 (March 1934)48,000 (peak; August 1934)4,000 (September 1935)
- Militant organization.flag
- 175px|border
- Militant organization.name
- Army Comrades Association
- Militant organization.logo
- 175px
- Militant organization.other_name
- Blueshirts
- Militant organization.leader
- Ned CroninEoin O'DuffyThomas F. O'HigginsErnest Blythe
- Militant organization.merged
- Fine Gael (pro-Cronin faction)
- Militant organization.successor
- National Corporate Party (pro-O'Duffy faction)
- Militant organization.country
- 23px|border Irish Free State
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
Show 4 more facts
- dissolved, abolished or demolished date
- 1933-01-01
- inception
- 1932-01-01
- sRGB color hex triplet
- 3E8EDE
- native label
- The Army Comrades Association
via Wikidata · CC0
~20 min read
Article
11 sectionsContents
- History
- Origins and early history
- Eoin O'Duffy becomes leader
- March on Dublin
- Merging with Cumann na nGaedhael and the National Centre Party to form Fine Gael
- Legacy
- Fascism debate
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Sources
The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later the National Guard, Young Ireland and finally League of Youth, known by the nickname the Blueshirts (), was a far-right paramilitary organisation in the Irish Free State, founded in 1932. The group provided physical protection for political groups such as Cumann na nGaedheal from intimidation and attacks by the IRA. Some former members went on to fight for the Francoist faction in the Spanish Civil War.
Most of the political parties whose meetings the Blueshirts protected merged to become Fine Gael, and members of that party are still sometimes nicknamed "Blueshirts".