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Encyclopedia entry: Cumann na nGaedheal
- Article from:
- The Oxford Companion to Irish History
Copyright© The Oxford Companion to Irish History 2007, originally published by Oxford University Press 2007. (Hide copyright information)
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Cumann na nGaedheal
(‘party of the Irish’), political party formally launched on 8 April 1923. The core of the party consisted of the pro‐treaty members of
Sinn Féin
returned in the 1922 general election who constituted the government party in the
Irish Free State
. A decision to found the party had been taken on 7 December 1922, and organizational work proceeded in early 1923.
The party won its highest ever share of the poll at the first general election it contested, on 27 August 1923 (39.0 per cent, and 63 seats), although its leader, William T.
Cosgrave
, was nevertheless able to continue in office as
president of the executive council
only because of ...