Saor Éire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the paramilitary group of the 1960s and 1970s see Saor Éire (1967-1975).
Saor Éire (meaning Free Ireland) was a left-wing political organisation established in September 1931 by communist-leaning members of the Irish Republican Army, with the backing of the IRA leadership. Notable among its founders was Peadar O'Donnell, former editor of An Phoblacht and a leading left-wing figure in the IRA. Saor Éire described itself as "an organization of workers and working farmers".
The organisation was attacked by the right-wing press and the Catholic Church as a dangerous communist group, and was quickly banned by the Free State government. The strength of reaction against it prevented it becoming an effective political organisation. O'Donnell and his supporters would attempt a similar initiative two years later with the establishment of the Republican Congress in 1933.
In later years Fianna Fáil accused Clann na Poblachta of being a revival of Saor Éire. The name was subsequently used by a group of dissident leftist republicans — some of whom were later associated with the Maoist-inspired INLA — from 1967 until 1975.
