Anti-Partition of Ireland League
Encyclopedia
The Irish Anti-Partition League (APL) was a political organisation based in Northern Ireland
which campaigned for a united Ireland
.
had become inactive in the late 1930s. This became a major complaint among supporters of the Nationalist Party
, and at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, some Nationalists candidates - including Eddie McAteer
and Malachy Conlon
pledged that if they were elected, they would organise a convention with the intention of uniting all Irish nationalists in one membership organisation.
McAteer and Conlon were both elected, and on 14 November 1945 they presided over a convention in Dungannon
. The convention was attended by about 480 people, including all Nationalist Party
Members of Parliament
(MPs) and Senators
. Other anti-partitionist MPs were invited, but Socialist Republican Party
MP Harry Diamond
refused to attend.
The convention elected a standing committee. Conlon became its first Secretary and James McSparran
its first Chairman. It also collected more than £1000 to begin campaigning activities.
, generally sympathetic to the nationalist cause, attacked two prominent members: T. J. Campbell
for resigning as an MP in order to take up a position as a judge
, and Cahir Healy
for pledging to support the Ulster Unionist Party
leadership of the Parliament in their campaign to withhold some Imperial Contributions in order to improve housing. A few months later, Thomas Maguire accused McSparran of rejecting a position as a judge solely because it was insufficiently well paid.
In 1946, Sean O'Gallagher was appointed as full-time organiser for the League, and by the end of the year, forty local Anti-Partition clubs linked to the League had been established. In July, Gerry Lennon
, McAteer and McSparran spoke at a rally in Birmingham
in July to launch a British section of the League. In Britain, the group tried to work with Labour Friends of Ireland, but were frustrated as the group de-prioritised the question of partition
. The two organisations did draw up a joint amendment to the Northern Ireland Bill calling for a full discussion on the governance of Northern Ireland.
The League held its first annual convention at Dungannon on 11 April 1947. 146 delegates attended, nominated by 63 branches, and McAteer was elected Vice Chairman. The following year, it opened an office in Belfast
. It faced its first electoral test at the Armagh by-election, 1948
, nominating James O'Reilly
. O'Reilly failed to gain the Unionist-held seat, but took 40.3% of the vote.
in Dublin on 25 January 1948, challenging Éamon de Valera
to push the British Government on the question of partition. He was soon out of office, and embarked on a world tour speaking in favour of a united Ireland, which the League claimed as a success.
The APL welcomed the passing of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, and McSparran also welcomed the British response, the Ireland Act 1949
, claiming that it proved all British parties were equally hostile to Ireland.
was called for 1949, and the League organised selection conventions for each constituency where there was a chance of an anti-partitionist victory.
The selections were marked by fierce debate over whether the candidates should pledge to attend the Parliament, or to boycott it. The election was only moderately successful for the League. All the seats held by Nationalist MPs immediately before the election were again won by them.
Frustrated with the hostility of much of the British Labour Party, the League's British section stood four candidates against Labour MPs in the 1950 UK general election, in Bootle
, Coatbridge and Airdrie
, Greenock
and Glasgow Gorbals
, all areas with large Irish populations. Despite the intervention, Labour held all four seats.
In May 1950, the APL conference voted down a motion calling for abstentionism. Conlon died soon afterwards, creating a by-election in his seat of South Armagh
. The Irish Labour Party nominated Seamus McKearney. The League asked him to withdraw, but his agent, Harry Diamond
, was an old opponent of the organisation and rejected the request.
A local convention was held, which nominated Charles McGleenan
, a prominent supporter of the failed motion. This was in clear opposition to party policy. Despite this, the executive did not intervene, and McGleenan was able to easily defeat an Irish Labour Party candidate. McGleenan did not take his seat, declaring his allegiance was only to the Republic of Ireland, but he campaigned alongside the Nationalist MPs and remained active in the League.
over attacks on other parties. It stood only one candidate at the 1951 UK general election.
The party organised a march through Derry
on St Patrick's Day 1951, displaying the Irish flag. The Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC) attempted to seize the flag, and several League members were arrested. A repeat was organised a year later, with a far larger turnout. This time, the RUC used violence to break up the march.
Conventions were again organised to select candidates for the Northern Ireland general election, 1953
. McAteer was selected for Foyle
in place of Paddy Maxwell
, who had abstentionist tendencies. Most constituencies chose MPs who pledged to attend the Parliament, but McGleenan was again selected in South Armagh, and delegates in Mid Tyrone
chose Liam Kelly
, a jailed republican. Sitting Nationalist MP Edward McCullagh
stood against Kelly, in defiance of the convention, but was narrowly defeated. In Mid Londonderry
, Nationalist Paddy Gormley
beat the APL candidate. Gormley declared that the APL was now felt to be discredited.
Despite the success of Kelly and McGleenan at the election, most of the abstentionists left the League. The executive was reorganised, McAteer becoming Chairman, McSparran President, and Paddy McGill
was appointed as the new Secretary.
At the Mid Ulster by-election, 1956
, the League stood Michael O'Neill
in an attempt to unseat abstentionist MP Tom Mitchell, but this split the nationalist vote and independent Unionist George Forrest
was elected.
In late 1956, the Committee announced their intention to resign. No candidates were nominated to replace them, and the League became moribund. Some local clubs became branches of the Nationalist Party, while the remnants of the British section became the United Irish Association. Frank Traynor
became the Acting Secretary of the League, and he organised a final meeting in Belfast on 2 December 1958. McGill ordered McAteer to closely watch the meeting to ensure that it did not discuss policy, worrying that Traynor would try to cause trouble for the Nationalist Party. The meeting wound up the organisation and distributed its funds.
In 1959, National Unity
was founded by former APL members who called for the Nationalist Party to take a new, more active approach.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
which campaigned for a united Ireland
United Ireland
A united Ireland is the term used to refer to the idea of a sovereign state which covers all of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. The island of Ireland includes the territory of two independent sovereign states: the Republic of Ireland, which covers 26 counties of the island, and the...
.
Foundation
Prior to the establishment of the League, there had been no rank-and-file organisation of Irish nationalists since the Irish Union Association and Northern Council for UnityNorthern Council for Unity
The Northern Council for Unity was an Irish republican political party founded in 1937 by Anthony Mulvey.The group was formed in 1937 following the promulgation of the Constitution of Ireland with the intention of opposing any measures that it felt helped to recognise the legitimacy of the...
had become inactive in the late 1930s. This became a major complaint among supporters of the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
, and at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, some Nationalists candidates - including Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer was an nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Coatbridge, Scotland, McAteer's family moved to Derry in Northern Ireland while he was young. In 1930 he joined the Inland Revenue, where he worked until 1944. He then became an accountant and more actively involved in politics...
and Malachy Conlon
Malachy Conlon
Malachy Conlon was a nationalist politician in Ireland.Conlon strongly believed that there was a need for a membership organisation linking nationalists in Northern Ireland. He pursued this theme during his campaign for the Nationalist Party in South Armagh at the Northern Ireland general...
pledged that if they were elected, they would organise a convention with the intention of uniting all Irish nationalists in one membership organisation.
McAteer and Conlon were both elected, and on 14 November 1945 they presided over a convention in Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
. The convention was attended by about 480 people, including all Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
Members of Parliament
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
(MPs) and Senators
Senate of Northern Ireland
The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.-Powers:...
. Other anti-partitionist MPs were invited, but Socialist Republican Party
Socialist Republican Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Republican Party was an Irish republican political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1944 by a coalition of former Nationalist Party members, former Irish Republican Army members and Protestant trade unionists around Victor Halley, all based in West Belfast.The party...
MP Harry Diamond
Harry Diamond
Harry Diamond was a socialist and an Irish nationalist. He was the MP for Belfast Falls in the Parliament of Northern Ireland, and later the leader of the Republican Labour Party....
refused to attend.
The convention elected a standing committee. Conlon became its first Secretary and James McSparran
James McSparran
James McSparran QC , was an Irish nationalist politician.McSparran was born in Glasgow to an Irish family He studied at St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow, then St Malachy's College in Belfast, Queen's University of Belfast, and the National University of Ireland.McSparran was appointed to the Irish Bar...
its first Chairman. It also collected more than £1000 to begin campaigning activities.
Establishment
Divisions appeared in the new organisation almost immediately. The Derry JournalDerry Journal
The Derry Journal is a newspaper based in Derry, Northern Ireland, serving County Londonderry as well as County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. It is operated by a Johnston Press holding company entitled Derry Journal Newspapers. The paper is published on Tuesday and Friday and is a sister...
, generally sympathetic to the nationalist cause, attacked two prominent members: T. J. Campbell
Thomas Joseph Campbell
Thomas Joseph Campbell , known as T. J. Campbell, was an Irish nationalist newspaper editor, politician and judge.Brought up as a Roman Catholic in Belfast, Campbell studied at St Malachy's College and the Royal University of Ireland. In 1895, he began editing the Irish News, a local nationalist...
for resigning as an MP in order to take up a position as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, and Cahir Healy
Cahir Healy
Cahir Healy was an Irish politician.Born in Mountcharles in County Donegal, he became a journalist working on various local papers. He joined Sinn Féin on its foundation in 1905. He later campaigned against the inclusion of County Fermanagh and County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, arguing that they...
for pledging to support the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
leadership of the Parliament in their campaign to withhold some Imperial Contributions in order to improve housing. A few months later, Thomas Maguire accused McSparran of rejecting a position as a judge solely because it was insufficiently well paid.
In 1946, Sean O'Gallagher was appointed as full-time organiser for the League, and by the end of the year, forty local Anti-Partition clubs linked to the League had been established. In July, Gerry Lennon
Gerry Lennon
James Gerrard Lennon , known as Gerry Lennon, was a solicitor and Irish nationalist politician.Lennon stood unsuccessfully for the National League of the North in South Armagh at the Northern Ireland general election, 1933. In 1944, he was appointed to the Senate of Northern Ireland, serving as a...
, McAteer and McSparran spoke at a rally in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in July to launch a British section of the League. In Britain, the group tried to work with Labour Friends of Ireland, but were frustrated as the group de-prioritised the question of partition
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
. The two organisations did draw up a joint amendment to the Northern Ireland Bill calling for a full discussion on the governance of Northern Ireland.
The League held its first annual convention at Dungannon on 11 April 1947. 146 delegates attended, nominated by 63 branches, and McAteer was elected Vice Chairman. The following year, it opened an office in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. It faced its first electoral test at the Armagh by-election, 1948
Armagh by-election, 1948
The Armagh by-election was held on 5 March 1948, following the death of Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament William Allen.Allen had held the seat of Armagh since its recreation for the 1922 UK general election...
, nominating James O'Reilly
James O'Reilly (Irish politician)
James O'Reilly, also known as Seamas O'Reilly, was a nationalist politician in Ireland.O'Reilly was a farmer and an activist in the Nationalist Party and was elected to Kilkeel Rural District Council...
. O'Reilly failed to gain the Unionist-held seat, but took 40.3% of the vote.
Relationship with the Republic of Ireland
The League organised a rallyDemonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
in Dublin on 25 January 1948, challenging Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
to push the British Government on the question of partition. He was soon out of office, and embarked on a world tour speaking in favour of a united Ireland, which the League claimed as a success.
The APL welcomed the passing of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, and McSparran also welcomed the British response, the Ireland Act 1949
Ireland Act 1949
The Ireland Act 1949 is a British Act of Parliament that was intended to deal with the consequences of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 as passed by the Irish parliament...
, claiming that it proved all British parties were equally hostile to Ireland.
Debates over abstentionism
A general election in Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland general election, 1949
-References:*-See also:*MPs elected in the Northern Ireland general election, 1949...
was called for 1949, and the League organised selection conventions for each constituency where there was a chance of an anti-partitionist victory.
The selections were marked by fierce debate over whether the candidates should pledge to attend the Parliament, or to boycott it. The election was only moderately successful for the League. All the seats held by Nationalist MPs immediately before the election were again won by them.
Frustrated with the hostility of much of the British Labour Party, the League's British section stood four candidates against Labour MPs in the 1950 UK general election, in Bootle
Bootle (UK Parliament constituency)
Bootle is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Since 1990 the MP has been Joe Benton of the Labour Party...
, Coatbridge and Airdrie
Coatbridge and Airdrie (UK Parliament constituency)
Coatbridge and Airdrie was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned one Member of Parliament from 1950 until 1983.It was then replaced by the Monklands West constituency.-Boundaries:...
, Greenock
Greenock (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenock was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1974, when it was abolished and its area was merged into the new Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.- Members of Parliament :...
and Glasgow Gorbals
Glasgow Gorbals (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Gorbals was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Glasgow. From 1918 until 1974, it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post system.-Boundaries:...
, all areas with large Irish populations. Despite the intervention, Labour held all four seats.
In May 1950, the APL conference voted down a motion calling for abstentionism. Conlon died soon afterwards, creating a by-election in his seat of South Armagh
South Armagh (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
South Armagh was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:South Armagh was a county constituency comprising the southern part of County Armagh. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
. The Irish Labour Party nominated Seamus McKearney. The League asked him to withdraw, but his agent, Harry Diamond
Harry Diamond
Harry Diamond was a socialist and an Irish nationalist. He was the MP for Belfast Falls in the Parliament of Northern Ireland, and later the leader of the Republican Labour Party....
, was an old opponent of the organisation and rejected the request.
A local convention was held, which nominated Charles McGleenan
Charles McGleenan
Charles McGleenan was a farmer and a Republican politician in Northern Ireland.McGleenan was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence. He was interned in Newbridge Prison, but successfully escaped...
, a prominent supporter of the failed motion. This was in clear opposition to party policy. Despite this, the executive did not intervene, and McGleenan was able to easily defeat an Irish Labour Party candidate. McGleenan did not take his seat, declaring his allegiance was only to the Republic of Ireland, but he campaigned alongside the Nationalist MPs and remained active in the League.
Decline
By 1951, the League was in decline. It was short of funds, and there was reduced attendance at its meetings. The British section was also struggling, and motions to its conference called for it to prioritise recruitment and propagandaPropaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
over attacks on other parties. It stood only one candidate at the 1951 UK general election.
The party organised a march through Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
on St Patrick's Day 1951, displaying the Irish flag. The Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) attempted to seize the flag, and several League members were arrested. A repeat was organised a year later, with a far larger turnout. This time, the RUC used violence to break up the march.
Conventions were again organised to select candidates for the Northern Ireland general election, 1953
Northern Ireland general election, 1953
-References:*...
. McAteer was selected for Foyle
Foyle (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Foyle was a single member constituency in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It was created in 1929 as one of the five single-member constituencies replacing the former five-member Londonderry constituency...
in place of Paddy Maxwell
Paddy Maxwell
Paddy Maxwell was a solicitor and a nationalist politician in Ireland.Maxwell studied at the Convent of Mercy School, the Christian Brothers' School and St Columb's College in Derry...
, who had abstentionist tendencies. Most constituencies chose MPs who pledged to attend the Parliament, but McGleenan was again selected in South Armagh, and delegates in Mid Tyrone
Mid Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Mid Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Mid Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the central part of County Tyrone. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
chose Liam Kelly
Liam Kelly (Irish republican)
Liam Kelly was an Irish republican, who was elected both to House of Commons of Northern Ireland and as a member of Seanad Éireann...
, a jailed republican. Sitting Nationalist MP Edward McCullagh
Edward McCullagh
Edward Vincent McCullagh was a nationalist politician and farmer in Northern Ireland.McCullagh was a member of Omagh Rural District Council and was active in his local Gaelic Athletic Association. In 1948, he won a by-election in Mid Tyrone and was elected to the Parliament of Northern Ireland for...
stood against Kelly, in defiance of the convention, but was narrowly defeated. In Mid Londonderry
Mid Londonderry (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Mid Londonderry was a county constituency comprising the central part of County Londonderry. It was created in 1929, when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
, Nationalist Paddy Gormley
Paddy Gormley
Patrick Joseph Gormley, known as Paddy Gormley was an Irish nationalist politician.Born in Claudy, Gormley was educated at St Columb's College and the National University of Ireland. In 1945, he was elected to Londonderry County Council, representing the Nationalist Party...
beat the APL candidate. Gormley declared that the APL was now felt to be discredited.
Despite the success of Kelly and McGleenan at the election, most of the abstentionists left the League. The executive was reorganised, McAteer becoming Chairman, McSparran President, and Paddy McGill
Paddy McGill
Patrick Francis McGill , known as Paddy McGill or P. F. McGill was a journalist and nationalist politician in Ireland....
was appointed as the new Secretary.
At the Mid Ulster by-election, 1956
Mid Ulster by-election, 1956
The by-election held in Mid Ulster on 8 May 1956 was called because both candidates in the Mid Ulster by-election, 1955 were disqualified. Tom Mitchell was disqualified from assuming office because he was a convicted felon. Charles Beattie was awarded the seat but he was also disqualified because...
, the League stood Michael O'Neill
Michael O'Neill (politician)
Michael O'Neill was an Irish politician in the United Kingdom.O'Neill was educated at Dromore National School and Bellisle Academy. He was a farmer and a chairman of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
in an attempt to unseat abstentionist MP Tom Mitchell, but this split the nationalist vote and independent Unionist George Forrest
George Forrest (politician)
George Forrest was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland who served as MP for Mid Ulster from 1956 until his death...
was elected.
In late 1956, the Committee announced their intention to resign. No candidates were nominated to replace them, and the League became moribund. Some local clubs became branches of the Nationalist Party, while the remnants of the British section became the United Irish Association. Frank Traynor
Frank Traynor
Frank Traynor was an Australian jazz musician, trombonist and entrepreneur based in Melbourne. He led Australia’s longest continuously running jazz band, The Jazz Preachers from 1956 until his death in 1985. He founded the Victorian Jazz Club in 1956...
became the Acting Secretary of the League, and he organised a final meeting in Belfast on 2 December 1958. McGill ordered McAteer to closely watch the meeting to ensure that it did not discuss policy, worrying that Traynor would try to cause trouble for the Nationalist Party. The meeting wound up the organisation and distributed its funds.
In 1959, National Unity
National Unity (Ireland)
National Unity was an Irish nationalist political study group in Northern Ireland.Nationalism in Northern Ireland in the late 1950s was dominated by the Nationalist Party. This effectively operated as a network of elected politicians. Its attempt to build a rank-and-file movement, the Irish...
was founded by former APL members who called for the Nationalist Party to take a new, more active approach.