Sarah Mitchell
Sinn Féin is a political party in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that seeks to end the political partition of the island of Ireland. The party's ideology is characterised as nationalism and Republicanism, advocating democratic socialism. The early history of Sinn Féin is closely associated with Arthur Griffith, leader of Cumann na nGaedheal, who, in 1902, formally adopted Griffith's policy of Sinn Féin, which included passive resistance to the British, withholding of taxes, and the establishment of an Irish ruling council and independent local courts. By 1905, the name Sinn Féin had been transferred from the policy to its adherents. The party supported the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the War of Independence and members of the Dáil government negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the British government in 1921.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding | October 1902 |
| Founder | Arthur Griffith |
| Founding Principles | Passive resistance to the British, withholding of taxes, establishment of an Irish ruling council and independent local courts |
| Notable Supporters | Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Gerry Adams |
| Notable Opponents | Robert McCartney, Bertie Ahern |
| Related Organisations | Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP), Irish Republican Army (IRA), Fianna Fáil, Cumann na nGaedheal, Clann na Poblachta |
| Current Status | Active |
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What You'll Learn
The origins of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin became a significant force in Irish politics following the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. The party, led by Eamon de Valera, advocated for a united and independent Ireland, and this message resonated with many Irish people. In the 1918 elections, Sinn Féin won 73 of the 105 Irish seats in the British Parliament. The party's members of Parliament met in Dublin in January 1919 and declared themselves the parliament of an Irish republic, setting up a provisional government in opposition to British rule.
During the Irish War of Independence, Sinn Féin supported the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the British government in 1921. However, the treaty divided the party into two factions: those who supported the treaty, led by Michael Collins, and those who opposed it, led by de Valera. This division led to the Irish Civil War (1922-1923), with anti-treaty forces ultimately being defeated.
In 1926, de Valera resigned as leader of Sinn Féin and founded the Fianna Fáil party, which attracted most of the original membership and financial support of Sinn Féin. This left Sinn Féin in a weakened state, and the party's support dwindled significantly in the 1927 elections. In the following decades, Sinn Féin became closely associated with the IRA and advocated for a corporatist social policy with the aim of creating a Catholic state.
Sinn Féin re-emerged as a significant political force in the 1980s, building mass support for its demand for self-determination for the Irish people. The party's electoral success continued into the 2000s, and it played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process talks, eventually participating in the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive. Today, Sinn Féin is a major political party in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, advocating for an end to the political partition of the island and democratic socialism.
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The party's ideology
Sinn Féin is an Irish republican, democratic socialist, and left-wing party. Its name translates to '(We) Ourselves' in English and is an assertion of Irish national sovereignty and self-determination. The party's main political goal is a united Ireland, with an end to the political partition of the island.
Sinn Féin was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith as a radical nationalist organisation. Its origins were non-republican, with Griffith's main goal being to achieve an Austria-Hungarian-style dual monarchy for Ireland. The party was small and not particularly popular in its early years. However, the 1916 Easter Rising changed Sinn Féin's fortunes, with growing discontentment with the Westminster government translating into votes for the party. The post-1916 'New Sinn Féin' shifted to arguing for a separate Irish Republic.
In 1918, Sinn Féin's unequivocal demand for a united and independent Ireland won the party 73 of the 105 Irish seats in the British Parliament. Sinn Féin members of Parliament met in Dublin in January 1919 and declared themselves the parliament of an Irish republic, setting up a provisional government to rival Ireland's British administration. This led to the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) between the IRA and the British army, which ended with the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiated by Sinn Féin representatives and British officials.
The treaty did not grant Ireland full independence, and the 26 of 32 counties that became the Irish Free State held dominion status within the British Empire. This split Sinn Féin into two factions: one supporting the treaty under Michael Collins and the other opposing it under Eamon de Valera. The two sides fought against each other in the Irish Civil War (1922-1923), which ended in the defeat of the anti-treaty forces. De Valera resigned as Sinn Féin leader in 1926 and founded the Fianna Fáil party, which absorbed most of Sinn Féin's original membership.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sinn Féin shifted from a military focus to becoming more politically active. The party increasingly prioritised electoral politics under the leadership of Gerry Adams, who became president in 1983. In 1986, Sinn Féin ended its policy of abstentionism in the Irish Dáil. The party was involved in the Northern Ireland peace process in the 1990s, which led to the Good Friday Agreement and the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In recent years, Sinn Féin has experienced a surge in support in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In the 2020 Irish general election, the party topped the first-preference votes with 24.5% and won 37 seats. In the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly elections, Sinn Féin became the largest party, winning 27 out of 90 seats.
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The Easter Rising
The insurrection began on April 24, and its leaders surrendered on April 29, 1916. Patrick Pearse and 14 other leaders of the rebellion were court-martialed and executed by British authorities for their roles in the Easter Rising. Although the uprising itself was unpopular with most of the Irish people, these executions created a backlash against the British authorities and turned the dead republican leaders into martyred heroes.
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The Anglo-Irish Treaty
Irish Catholics formed the Sinn Féin party in 1902, with the party's name being formally adopted at a meeting in Dublin. The party's early history is closely associated with Arthur Griffith, leader of Cumann na nGaedheal. By 1905, the name "Sinn Féin" had been transferred from the policy to its adherents.
Now, onto the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
The treaty provided for the establishment of the Irish Free State within a year, with Crown forces withdrawing from most of Ireland. Ireland was to have its own parliament, the Oireachtas, with jurisdiction over domestic affairs and significant fiscal autonomy. However, Britain retained control of several military ports, and the King remained the Head of State of the Irish Free State, represented by a Governor-General.
The treaty also set the stage for the partition of Ireland. Northern Ireland, which had been created earlier, was given the option to opt out of the Irish Free State, which it chose to exercise. This decision led to the partition of the island and years of conflict, including the Irish Civil War.
The treaty was hotly contested within Ireland, with the Dáil Éireann approving it by a slim margin of seven votes. This ideological split led to the Civil War, with pro-treaty forces ultimately emerging victorious. The Irish Free State came into existence when its constitution became law on 6 December 1922, the same date the Anglo-Irish Treaty took effect.
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The party's involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process
Sinn Féin has been closely associated with the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). During the Troubles, Sinn Féin was linked to the IRA, leading to broadcasting bans in the Irish and British media. However, the party sat on local councils and maintained a policy of abstentionism for the British House of Commons and the Irish Dáil Éireann.
In 1983, Gerry Adams became the party leader, and electoral politics became a priority for Sinn Féin. In 1986, the party abandoned its abstentionist stance for the Dáil, but some members formed Republican Sinn Féin in protest. In the 1990s, under Adams and Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin actively participated in the Northern Ireland peace process. This involvement resulted in the Good Friday Agreement, which established the Northern Ireland Assembly and facilitated Sinn Féin's inclusion in the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive.
The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed on April 1998, and laid out the steps for a new power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. The agreement included critical concessions from the IRA, such as agreeing that Northern Ireland would remain part of the United Kingdom as long as a majority of its population desired. Sinn Féin's participation in the peace process was not without controversy, as some members disagreed with its direction and left the party, becoming known as dissident republicans.
In 2005, Sinn Féin faced allegations of involvement in illegal activity, including the Northern Bank robbery in December 2004, which delayed political progress in Northern Ireland. The party's association with the IRA remained a point of contention, with Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern referring to them as "both sides of the same coin." Despite these challenges, Sinn Féin continued its political efforts, and in the 2007 elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly, the party increased its share of the vote to 26 percent, winning 28 seats.
In May 2007, Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin was sworn in as deputy first minister in a power-sharing government with the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). This marked a significant step in the peace process, although Sinn Féin faced ongoing criticism and challenges, including threats from dissident groups. The party's commitment to the peace process has evolved over time, with a focus on achieving a united Ireland through political means rather than violence.
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Frequently asked questions
Irish Catholics formed Sinn Fein in 1902, when Cumann na nGaedheal formally adopted Arthur Griffith's policy of "Sinn Fein".
The policy of "Sinn Fein" included passive resistance to the British, withholding of taxes, and the establishment of an Irish ruling council and independent local courts.
Sinn Fein is a political party in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that seeks to end the political partition of the island of Ireland. Its ideology is characterized as nationalism and Republicanism, advocating for democratic socialism.
