The National Graves Association (NGA) is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 non-governmental organisation

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 which seeks to maintain the graves of Irish republicans who died in the pursuit of 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...

. It is an entirely separate organisation to the National Graves Association, Belfast

National Graves Association, Belfast

The National Graves Association, Belfast is a private Irish republican organisation which undertakes to care for and maintain the graves of some Irish Republican Army volunteers who are buried in Belfast cemeteries...

.
Its stated objectives are to "to restore, where necessary, and maintain fittingly the graves and memorials of our patriot dead of every generation; to commemorate those who died in the cause of Irish Freedom; to compile a record of such graves and memorials". Its symbol is the Red Hand of Ulster

Red Hand of Ulster

The Red Hand of Ulster is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish province of Ulster. It is less commonly known as the Red Hand of O'Neill. Its origins are said to be attributed to the mythical Irish figure Labraid Lámh Dhearg , and appear in other mythical tales passed down from generation...

, which is on many graves tended by the association.

Policy and history

Its 'guiding principle' is "Only a 32 County Irish Republic represents the true aspiration of those who gave their lives for Irish freedom". As a result it does not look after the graves of British soldiers or Irish soldiers who were on the pro-treaty side in the Irish Civil War

Irish Civil War

The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....

, nor of abducted Irish civilians

Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established by treaty between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Ireland, made on 27 April 1999 in connection with the affairs of Northern Ireland....

. It is not aligned with any political party in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

.

It was formed in 1926 and has its origins in the many associations established in the late 19th century to erect memorials over the graves of prominent Irish Republican Brotherhood

Irish Republican Brotherhood

The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...

members and others. Since its establishment, the NGA has erected, or accepted into its care, over 500 monuments and memorials throughout Ireland. The NGA also publishes The Last Post, which contains the names of republicans who died in pursuit of republican objectives since 1916.
Members of the governing body are not allowed by the rules to be a member of any political party. This rule does not apply to associates.