Background to Con Colbert

CON COLBERT
(1888 - 1916) revolutionary
Born Monaleen, County Limerick

Educated North Richmond Street Christian Brothers School after the family moved to Dublin. Worked in Kennedy’s bakery, Parnell Street. Soon became interested in the movement for independence, became an Irish-speaker, and joined Fianna Éireann on its formation by Markievicz in 1909. Later joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers. In the 1916 Rising he commanded the garrison in Watkins’s brewery in Ardee Street, moving to Jameson’s distillery as the fighting increased. Court-martialled, sentenced to death, and shot in Kilmainham Jail 8 May 1916.

Source: A Dictionary of Irish Biography, Henry Boylan (ed.), Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, 1998

 

Below picture of Con Colbert (on extreme left of picture) Teaching drill to Enda boys, circa 1911

          History of Ogra Fianna Fáil

It was visionary, idealistic and committed young people who founded Fianna Fail, under the leadership of Eamonn de Valera in 1926. Thus followed the formation of a momentous national movement encompassing the ideals of a united Ireland, social and economic advancement and equal opportunities. At various pivotal stages in the party`s history, younger generations came to the fore to lead the party into different areas of growth. As the decades evolved, Fianna Fáil, while dominated by the great political figures from the State`s foundations, was driven by visionary input from the young. An outstanding example of this was Donough O`Malley`s inspirational tenure as Minister for Education and the introduction of free post-primary education. However it was not until 1974 / 75 that a specific youth section of the party was established to cater for the needs of young people in the party. It is highly significant to note that many of the leading personalities in Ógra Fianna Fáil from 1977 were products of the O`Malley revolution in education. Fianna Fáil was the first political party in Ireland that recognised the need to establish a youth section, and this subsequently proved to be an important medium for the recruitment of more young people into the party. The first National Youth Conference was held in the Burlington Hotel in January 1975 and had four delegates from each Dáil constituency. By the second National Youth Conference, a national youth scheme had been formulated, establishing youth committees in each Dail constituency. The annual youth conference was the cornerstone around which all youth activity within the party revolved. The 1977 General Election had a very visible and high profile youth campaign with a special advertising programme geared to winning the young vote. The election results brought in a range of new young talented members to the Fianna Fáil ranks in Dáil Eireann, among them the present Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, Bertie Ahern T.D., who served a most effective and inspiring period as Chairman of Ógra Fianna Fáil (1980 to 1983). During the 1980`s, Ogra became as essential part in all party structures and gained the right to vote in all candidate selection conventions. During this period Ogra developed an active policy formulation role, a role that became increasingly recognised by party spokespersons, policy makers and Government Ministers. The 1990`s have seen many new innovations as Ogra continues to expand. A new National Youth Scheme was adopted in 1998, further modernising Ogra. Recently Ogra developed its own website, providing information on all Ogra activities and an `on line membership` facility. An Ogra newsletter is also published regularly.Ogra has certainly served Fianna Fail well in its short history and judging by its continuing strength, will continue to play a defining role in the future of Irelands largest political party.

          History of Fianna Fáil

1926
Mar 23: Preliminary meeting to form new Party.
Apr. 2: Title Fianna Fáil adopted.
May 16: First public meeting.
Nov. 24: First Ard Fheis. Eamon deValera elected President.

1927
June 9: Fianna Fáil in first election won 44 seats.
Aug. 12: Fianna Fáil deputies took seats in the Dail.
Sept. 15: Second election. Fianna Fáil won 57 seats.

1928
May 3: Fianna Fáil petition with 96,000 signatures, calling for referendum to abolish the Oath of Allegiance rejected by Government which instead abolished the plebiscite clause in the Constitution.

1929
May 2: Fianna Fáil motion to retain Land Annuities defeated in the Dail.

1931
September 5: Irish Press first published.

1932
Feb. 16: General Election. Fianna Fáil won 72 seats.
March 9: First Fianna Fáil Government elected by Dail. De Valera elected President of Executive Council.
April 20: Bill to abolish Oath introduced
July 1: Government withheld Land Annuities. Economic War began.
Nov. 1: Governor-General removed from Office.

1933
Jan. 24: Fianna Fáil won 77 seats in General Election.
Feb. 8: Second Fianna Fáil administration formed.
May 3: Oath of Allegiance abolished.
Aug. 11: Blueshirts ‘March on Dublin’ banned
Nov. 16: Appeals to Privy Council ended. Unemployment assistance introduced.

1934
Sept. 21: De Valera at League of Nations proposed that there be an international convention to protect human rights.
Turf Bord, later Bord na Mona founded.
Three Sugar Beet factories opened.

1935
Widows and Orphans pensions introduced.

1936
All references to Crown and Governor General removed from Free State Constitution. Aer Lingus established. Agriculture wages Board to be set up.

1937
May 11: Debate on new Constitution commenced.
July 1: Bunreacht na hEireann enacted by plebiscite.
Dec. 29: Bunreacht na hEireann came into operation.

1938
Apr. 25: Anglo Irish Agreement ends economic war and abrogates defence clauses of Treaty.
June 17: General Election, Fianna Fáil received 52% of 1st preference votes, the highest ever won in the history of the state.
June 25: Dr Dubhglas de Hide inaugurated as first President of Ireland.
July 11: Spike Island first of Treaty ports taken over from Britain.

1939
De Valera affirmed Irish policy of neutrality. Bord Fáilte established.

1940
Mar. 21: Irish Shipping Limited established
Apr. 15: Air Raid on Belfast.
May 26: De Valera opposed conscription in Northern Ireland.

1942
Central Bank Act passed.
Five year post war development plans prepared for agriculture and other sectors of the economy.

1944
Feb. 21: Government rejects request to expel German and other diplomats. Children’s Allowances introduced (the first scheme of its kind in these islands).

1945
May 16: Eamon de Valera replied to Winston Churchill’s victory speech.
June 23: Sean T O Ceallaigh inaugurated President of Ireland.
July 17: Shannon Airport and customs free zone opened.

1946
July 24: Government proposed to Dáil Éireann that plans be made to obtain membership of the United Nations. Rural electrification scheme launched. Institute for Industrial Research and Standards set up. Post-War building programme launched. Industrial Relations Act passed and Labour Court founded.

1947
Department for Health and Department of Social Welfare established. Health Act Passed.

1948
Feb. 18: Fianna Fáil lost office after 16 years in Government. Many parts of Fianna Fáil's post war plans were abolished by the new Government.

1951
June 13: Fianna Fáil Government replaced coalition which fell apart over the Mother And Child Scheme.

1952
Child Adoption Act passed. Mother and Child Scheme introduced. Social Welfare Act passed. Bord Iascaigh Mhara set up.

1953
Work’s Compensation (Amendment) Act passed giving aid to independent or injured workers.

1954
June 2: Bovine TB Eradication Scheme began. Fianna Fáil out of office after losing General Election

1957
De Valera elected Taoiseach in Fianna Fáil Government for last time having won 78 out of 147 seats in the General election.
Apr. 18: Ireland joined International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

1958
Nov: Government programme for economic expansion published. An Foras Taluntais (Agricultural Institute) founded. Irish transatlantic flights launched.

1959
June 17: De Valera elected President of Ireland
June 23: Sean Lemass elected President of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach.

1960
July 20: Irish troops join United Nations peace keeping force.

1961
Sept: White paper on EEC Membership. General Election. Fianna Fáil won 70 seats
Oct. 11: Sean Lemmas re-elected Taoiseach

1963
Sept 2: Economic programme published. National Industrial and economic Council founded. Local Government (Planning and Development) Act passed. Companies Act passed.

1965
Jan 14: First Lemass/O’Neill meeting.
Mar/Apr: General Election. Lemass re-elected Taoiseach. Fianna Fáil won 72 seats. Anglo Irish Free Trade Area Agreement signed. Succession Act passed.

1966
April: Golden Jubilee of 1916.
June: De Valera elected President of Ireland for second term.
Sept: Free second level education introduced.
Nov: Sean Lemass resigned as President of Fianna Fáil and as Taoiseach - Jack Lynch succeeded him.

1968
Sept: Free School Transport Scheme introduced.

1969
June 18: General Election. Fianna Fáil won overall majority for first time since 1957. Third Economic programme published. Negotiations for EEC entry begin.

1971
Jan. 22: Treaty of Accession to EEC signed.
May 10: Referendum on EEC entry passed.
Dec. 7: Referendum on voting age (18 yrs) and Article 44 of Constitution passed.

1973
Jan. 1: Membership to EEC accepted.
Feb. 28: General Election - Fianna Fáil increased share of 1st preference votes but lost six seats and went out of office.

1975
Aug. 29: Eamon de Valera died.

1976
May: Fianna Fáil Golden Jubilee.

1977
June 16: General Election - Fianna Fáil for second time since PR was introduced won over 50% of first preferences and won the highest number of seats ever won by any Irish party (84).
July 5: Jack Lynch elected Taoiseach.

1978
Office of Consumer Affairs established by law.

1979
June: First direct election to European Parliament. Fianna Fáil won 5 out of 15 seats.
Nov: Jack Lynch resigned as President of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach and was replaced by Charles J. Haughey. Ground Rents Act passed. N.C.E.A Act passed. National Institute of Higher Education (NIHE) Dublin, Limerick and Thomond College of Education established. In the Autumn of 1980 Ireland became a member of the U.N Security Council.

1981
June 11: General Election. Fianna Fáil won 78 seats

1982
Feb/Mar: General Election.
Mar. 9: General Election results in Fianna Fáil victory winning 81 seats. Charles J. Haughey elected as Taoiseach on the 50th Anniversary of the first Fianna Fáil Government in 1932.
May: Ireland re-affirms its neutrality in relation to the Falklands War
Oct: Centenary of de Valera’s birth.
Nov. 4: Government falls. Resulting General Election sees Fianna Fáil increase its first preference votes but fail to form the next government.

1984
June 14: Elections to European Parliament. Fianna Fáil won 8 out of the 15 seats

1985
June 20: Local elections. Substantial gains, 740 members elected to various local authorities

1986
Apr. 18-20: Ard Fheis in RDS Simmonscourt celebrated sixtieth anniversary of the Party.
Nov. 24: Sixtieth Anniversary of the election of Eamon de Valera.

1987
Feb. 17: General Election. Fianna Fáil won 81 seats.
Mar' 10: C.J Haughey elected Taoiseach. Fianna Fáil Government takes office.
Mar' 31: Department of The Marine set up.
Apr. 1: Regulations brought in by Government to protect traders in border areas.
May 26: Referendum on Single European Act approved
July 1: 50th Anniversary of the Passing of the Constitution by plebiscite.
Oct. 9: programme for National Recovery unveiled
Dec: Balance of Payments in surplus for the first time in 50 years

1988
Jan: 70th Anniversary of Founding of Dáil Éireann.
Feb: Decision to double the European Structural Funds by 1992.
Feb: Inflation falls to 2%.
June: Taoiseach speaks on UN 3rd Special Session on Disarmament and said: ‘The only acceptable level of nuclear weapons is zero’.
July: Launch of campaign on European Single Market. First visit of a Taoiseach to Australia and New Zealand.
Aug: Irish interest rates at 4% below British rates for the first time ever. Independent Radio and Television Commission established.
Dec: Coillte Teoranta launched.

1989
Jan. 6: Ray MacSharry takes up appointment as European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Mar. 22: National Development Plan submitted to the European Commission.
Apr. 2: Summit meeting between An Taoiseach and Mr Gorbachev, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Union, in Shannon.
Apr. 23: An Taoiseach visits Japan and meets with Prime Minister Takeshita and Emperor Akihityo.
June 15: General Election. Fianna Fáil back in Government with Progressive Democrats. Elections to European Parliament where Fianna Fáil won six seats.
July 12: Charles J. Haughey re-elected Taoiseach.

1990
July: Irish Presidency of the EU commences.

1991
June: Local Elections.

1992
Feb: Charles J. Haughey resigns and is replaced as leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach by Albert Reynolds.
June: Maastricht Referendum passed.
Nov: General Election. Fianna Fáil won 68 seats.

1993
Jan: Fianna Fáil back in Government. Albert Reynolds re-elected Taoiseach.
Oct: National Development Plan launched.
Dec: The signing of the historic Downing Street Declaration.

1994
June: Seven Fianna Fáil MEP’s elected to European Parliament.
Nov: The election of Mr Bertie Ahern T.D. as the 6th Leader of Fianna Fáil.

1995
May: A successful recruitment campaign run by the Party results in 3,000 new members joining up.
Nov: Key findings of Commission on Aims & Structures adopted at Ard Fheis.

1996
Apr. 2: Double by-election victory, Donegal North East, Dublin West.
May 16: Party celebrates 70th Anniversary at RDS.
Nov. 26: "Taking the long view - 70 years of Fianna Fáil" launched by Party Leader. Record year for Cumann registration at 97%.

1997
June: In the General Election Fianna Fáil win 77 seats and forms a Partnership Government with the Progressive Democrats.
Oct: Fianna Fáil Presidential Candidate, Mary McAleese wins the Presidential Election.
Nov: Mary McAleese inaugurated as the 8th President of Ireland.

1998
Opinion Polls indicate that the popularity ratings of Fianna Fáil are at their highest levels for years.
Apr: Good Friday Agreement signed in Belfast.

1999
June: In the Local Government Elections Fianna Fáil wins 382 seats.
Nov: National Development Plan launched.

2000
Dec: Ireland attains a seat in the United Nations Security Council.
25th Anniversary of Ógra Fianna Fáil.

2001
75th Anniversary of the foundation of Fianna Fáil.

2002
Euro introduced.