Clann na Poblachta Party

Institutional History

Clann na Poblachta was a political party founded in 1946 by republican activists, Seán MacBride, Noel Hartnett, Jack McQuillan and Michael Kelly. Its leader was Seán MacBride and it quickly established a strong presence in the political arena of the day. It won 13.2% of the 1948 general election and joined the first inter-party government with Fine Gael, Clann na Talmhan and the Labour Party. There was internal dissension, however, between MacBride and one of his ministers, Dr Noel Browne, Minister for Health, over the 'Mother and Child Scheme'. Browne's scheme brought him into conflict with the Catholic hierarchy and MacBride would not support him. After Browne's resignation and the resulting fallout, the party never recovered its position, although it continued to contest elections until 1965.

Scope and Content

Photocopy documents assembled by Louie O'Brien, relating mainly to dissension within Clann na Poblachta and the resignations of Noel Hartnett and Noel Browne. Includes copies of minutes of Ard Chomhairle meetings; notes and minutes by Seán MacBride on meetings with Browne and Hartnett; correspondence between MacBride, Donal O'Donoghue and Dr Patrick McCartan. Also includes a review of Browne's autobiography Against the Tide (1983) and press cuttings from the letters column of the Irish Times concerning aspects of Browne's ministerial career (1993–4).

Access: Available byappointmentto holders of a UCD Archives reader's ticket. Produced for consultation in digital format.

Language: English