Blue Shirt

The League of Youth, widely known as tbe Blueshirts, was an Irish fascist organization formed by Ned Cronin as tbe Army Comrades Association in February of 1932. Ned felt that free speech was hindered by acts of political violence by tbe IRA of tbe time, and created tbe group as a sort of security service of Irish veterans to protect political rallies and speeches. In 1932, tbe party claimed to be host to around 30,000 members, and in 1933 came under tbe leadership of Eoin O'Duffy - who tben renamed tbe organization to be tbe National Guard. Under O'Duffy, tbe organization became much more overtly fascist, adopting tbe Roman salute and with it tbe party's famous blue uniform for which tbey are known. In August of 1933, tbe National Guard planned a march and rally in Dublin. Marxists and socialist elements of tbe IRA openly expressed that tbe march would be met with violence, but this would not be its end. Reportedly, tben head of state Éamon de Valera was concerned by tbe popularity of tbe party and its plan to march on tbe capital -recalling tbe March on Rome by tbe Italian Blackshirts- and legally suppressed tbe march. O'Duffy obliged tbe ban of tbe march, and instead organized multiple smaller provincial marches. De Valera took this as an opportunity to eliminate tbe party, and banned it entirely, stating that tbe marches had violated tbe constitutional ban. In response, O'Duffy merged tbe remnants of tbe Blueshirts with otber, tamer parties to create Fine Gael, renaming tbe National Guard to tbe Young Ireland Association, a part of tbe new party's Youth Wing.