Neil Blaney
Encyclopedia
Neil Terence Columba Blaney (1 October 1922 – 8 November 1995) was a senior Irish
politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann
in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil
Teachta Dála
(TD) representing Donegal East
. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (1957), Minister for Local Government (1957–1966) and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (1966–1970). He was at one time Father of the Dáil
.
Peninsula in north County Donegal
, part of the Province of Ulster
in Ireland
. The eldest of a family of eleven, Blaney's father Neal
had been a commander of the IRA
in Donegal during the War of Independence
and the Civil War
. He served as both a Teachta Dála
and as a Senator
between 1927 and 1948. It was from his father that Blaney got his strong republican views and his first introduction to politics. He was educated locally at Tamney on the rugged Fanad
Peninsula and later attended St Eunan's College in Letterkenny
as a boarder. Blaney later worked as an organiser with the Irish National Vintners and Grocers Association.
in a by-election
, caused by the death of his father from cancer. He also became a member of Donegal County Council
. Upon his election Blaney was the youngest member of the Dáil. He remained on the backbenches for a number of years before he was one of a group of young party members handpicked by Seán Lemass
to begin a re-organisation drive for the party following the defeat in the 1954 general election
. Within the party Blaney gained fame by running the party’s by-election campaigns throughout the 1950s and 1960s. He introduced the concept of cavalcade
s after his election victories in his constituency together with roadside bonfires. At the time this was an alien political concept in Ireland. Blaney also adopted wearing sunglasses, chewing gum and wearing bright ties and colourful suits. His dedicated bands of supporters earned the sobriquet, 'the Donegal Mafia', and succeeded in getting Desmond O'Malley
and Gerry Collins elected to the Dáil.
Éamon de Valera
, as Taoiseach
, brought new blood into the Cabinet in the shape of Blaney, Jack Lynch
, Kevin Boland
and Micheál Ó Moráin
. Blaney was appointed Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
, becoming the first government minister from Donegal, however, he moved to the position of Minister for Local Government at the end of 1957 following the death of Seán Moylan
. Blaney proved to be an innovative minister and his first task as minister was to prepare the groundwork for the referendum
to scrap the proportional representation
electoral system and replace it with the first-past-the-post
system. The referendum failed to be passed, however, Blaney was retained in the post when Lemass succeeded de Valera as Taoiseach in 1959. In 1963 he introduced the Planning Act to rationalise planning throughout the local authorities in the state. This act also created the agency, An Forás Forbatha, to bring planning experts together. His department underwent a very large programme to provide piped water to rural homes. In 1965 Blaney introduced the Road Traffic Act which required that motorists take a driving test in road worthy cars. During his tenure it became possible to pay rates by installment and he also introduced legislation which entitled non-nationals to vote in local elections.
In 1966 Lemass resigned as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. The subsequent leadership election
saw George Colley
and Charles Haughey
emerge as the two front-runners. Blaney was unimpressed with the choice and, with the support of the like-minded Kevin Boland
, he threw his hat in the ring, declaring himself to be the "Radical Republican" candidate. However outside the Northwest and apart from Boland Blaney failed to attract much support. After some pressure from Lemass the Cork politician, Jack Lynch
, entered the race and was deemed to be an unbeatable candidate. Haughey and Boland withdrew in support of Lynch, however, Colley forced a contest. He was defeated heavily with Lynch becoming party leader and Taoiseach. In the subsequent cabinet reshuffle Blaney was appointed Minster for Agriculture and Fisheries.
, Blaney was one of the first to express extremely strong Irish republican views, views which contradicted the policy of the Irish Government, in support of Northern nationalists. Blaney was a native of Ulster
and was affected by the outbreak of violence in parts of his home province
. He was concerned about the plight of the Republican majority in West Tyrone
and the City of Derry, areas that bordered his constituency in West Ulster. From around late 1968 onwards, Blaney formed and presided over an unofficial Nationalist
group in Leinster House
popularly known as 'the Letterkenny
Table', so named because this group of politicians used to meet at a certain table in either the Dáil Bar or the Dáil Restaurant. The group was dominated by Blaney up until his death. He had also been one of a four-member Cabinet sub-committee set up to decide on government policy to Northern Ireland together with Haughey, Pádraig Faulkner
and Joseph Brennan. A fund of £100,000 was set up to give to the nationalist people in the form of aid. However, those involved have denied that the government supported the importation of arms.
There was general surprise when, in an incident known as the Arms Crisis
, Blaney, along with Haughey, was sacked from Lynch's cabinet amid allegations of the use of the funds to import arms for use by the IRA
. Opposition leader Liam Cosgrave
was informed by the Garda that a plot to import arms existed and included government members. Cosgrave told Lynch he knew of the plot and would announce it in the Dáil next day if he didn't act. Lynch requested Haughey and Blaney submit their resignations to the President. Both men refused, saying they did nothing illegal. Lynch then asked the President to terminate their appointments as members of the government. Boland resigned in sympathy, while Micheál Ó Móráin
was dismissed one day earlier in a preemptive strike to ensure a subservient Minister for Justice was in place when the crisis broke. Lynch chose government chief whip Desmond O'Malley for the role. Haughey and Blaney were subsequently tried in court along with an army Officer, Captain James Kelly, and Albert Luykx
, a Belgian businessman who allegedly used his contacts to buy the arms. After trial all the accused were acquitted but many refused to recognise the verdict of the courts. Although cleared of wrong-doing, Blaney's ministerial career was brought to an end.
Lynch subsequently moved against Blaney so as to isolate him in the party. He was defeated by George Colley
in a vote for the position of Joint Honorary Treasurer at the 1971 Ard Fheis
, while his constituency colleague, Liam Cunningham
, had been appointed a Parliamentary Secretary in the cabinet reshuffle. In the Dáil Blaney abstained on a no-confidence motion on the worthiness of cabinet minister Jim Gibbons
for office, sponsored by the opposition. Paudge Brennan
and Desmond Foley
acted similarly and, while the government survived, they were all expelled from the parliamentary party. When Blaney and his supporters tried to organise the party’s national collection independently Lynch acted and in 1972 Blaney was expelled from the Fianna Fáil party for 'conduct unbecoming'.
party he was creating but Blaney declined. Instead, he contested all subsequent elections for Independent Fianna Fáil
– The Republican Party, an organisation that he built up, chiefly in the County Donegal
constituencies from disaffected members of the Fianna Fáil party who remained loyal to him along with a large number of Republicans. Throughout the 1970s there were frequent calls for his re-admittance to Fianna Fáil but the most vocal opponents of this move were Fianna Fáil delegates from Donegal.
In the 1979 European elections
Blaney topped the poll in the Connacht–Ulster constituency to the annoyance of Fianna Fáil. He sat in the Technical Group of Independents
and served as chair of the group along with the Italian Radical Marco Pannella
and Danish left-wing Eurosceptic
Jens-Peter Bonde
. He narrowly lost the seat in the 1984 election
but was returned to serve as an MEP
in 1989 election
where he sat with the regionalist Rainbow Group
He also canvassed for IRA
hunger strike
r Bobby Sands
in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, in which Sands was elected to Westminster
.
Blaney held his Dáil seat until his death from cancer at the age of 73 on 8 November 1995 in Dublin.
In the resulting by-election on 2 April 1996, the Fianna Fáil
candidate reclaimed the seat. However, Blaney's brother, Harry Blaney
, was elected as an Independent Fianna Fáil TD
in the 1997 general election
. He was replaced by his son, Niall Blaney
, who was elected in the 2002 general election
.
But in July 2006 Niall rejoined Fianna Fáil. This was opposed by other members of the Blaney family, including all seven children of Neil Blaney and his widow Eva who issued a damning press release prior to Niall Blaney's decision castigating the Fianna Fáil party and disassociating themselves from any so called 'truce' with them.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) representing Donegal East
Donegal East (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal East was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1937 to 1961...
. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (1957), Minister for Local Government (1957–1966) and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (1966–1970). He was at one time Father of the Dáil
Father of the Dáil
In the Republic of Ireland, the term Father of the Dáil is an unofficial title applied to the current member of Dáil Éireann with the longest unbroken period of service, regardless of their position...
.
Early life
Neil Blaney was born in 1922 in the rural FanadFanad
Fanad is a peninsula that lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay on the north coast of County Donegal in Ireland. It encompasses the parishes of Clondavaddog, Killygarvan and parts of Tullyfern and Aughinish. The peninsula includes the towns and villages of Milford, Kerrykeel , Tamney,...
Peninsula in north County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, part of the Province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
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...
. The eldest of a family of eleven, Blaney's father Neal
Neal Blaney
Neal Blaney was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, and long-serving member of the Oireachtas.Blaney, a native of Fanad in the north of County Donegal, had been a commander of the IRA in Donegal during the War of Independence and the Civil War...
had been a commander of the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
in Donegal during the War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and the 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....
. He served as both a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
and as a Senator
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
between 1927 and 1948. It was from his father that Blaney got his strong republican views and his first introduction to politics. He was educated locally at Tamney on the rugged Fanad
Fanad
Fanad is a peninsula that lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay on the north coast of County Donegal in Ireland. It encompasses the parishes of Clondavaddog, Killygarvan and parts of Tullyfern and Aughinish. The peninsula includes the towns and villages of Milford, Kerrykeel , Tamney,...
Peninsula and later attended St Eunan's College in Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
as a boarder. Blaney later worked as an organiser with the Irish National Vintners and Grocers Association.
Early political career
In 1948 Blaney was elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, caused by the death of his father from cancer. He also became a member of Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
. Upon his election Blaney was the youngest member of the Dáil. He remained on the backbenches for a number of years before he was one of a group of young party members handpicked by Seán Lemass
Seán Lemass
Seán Francis Lemass was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century. He served as Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966....
to begin a re-organisation drive for the party following the defeat in the 1954 general election
Irish general election, 1954
The Irish general election of 1954 was held on 18 May 1954. The newly elected members of the 15th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 June when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. Within the party Blaney gained fame by running the party’s by-election campaigns throughout the 1950s and 1960s. He introduced the concept of cavalcade
Cavalcade
Cavalcade may refer to:*Cavalcade, a horseback procession, parade, or mass trail ride*A huge parade*A huge procession*Suzuki GV1400 Cavalcade, a Suzuki luxury touring motorcycle available from 1985 to 1988 in North America...
s after his election victories in his constituency together with roadside bonfires. At the time this was an alien political concept in Ireland. Blaney also adopted wearing sunglasses, chewing gum and wearing bright ties and colourful suits. His dedicated bands of supporters earned the sobriquet, 'the Donegal Mafia', and succeeded in getting Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
and Gerry Collins elected to the Dáil.
Ministerial career
Following Fianna Fáil' victory in the 1957 general electionIrish general election, 1957
The Irish general election of 1957 was held on 5 March 1957, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 4 February. The newly elected members of the 16th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 20 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place...
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...
, as Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
, brought new blood into the Cabinet in the shape of Blaney, Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
, Kevin Boland
Kevin Boland
Kevin Boland , was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957 as a Fianna Fáil TD. He served as Minister for Defence , Minister for Social Welfare and Minister for Local Government...
and Micheál Ó Moráin
Micheál Ó Móráin
Micheál Ó Móráin was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet minister from 1957 until 1970, most notably as Minister for Justice and Minister for the Gaeltacht....
. Blaney was appointed Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Ireland)
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was a senior post in the government of the Irish Free State and the Republic of Ireland from 1924 to 1984, when the post and the department was abolished....
, becoming the first government minister from Donegal, however, he moved to the position of Minister for Local Government at the end of 1957 following the death of Seán Moylan
Seán Moylan
Seán Moylan was a Commandant of the Irish Republican Army and later a Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil politician...
. Blaney proved to be an innovative minister and his first task as minister was to prepare the groundwork for the referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to scrap the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
electoral system and replace it with the first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
system. The referendum failed to be passed, however, Blaney was retained in the post when Lemass succeeded de Valera as Taoiseach in 1959. In 1963 he introduced the Planning Act to rationalise planning throughout the local authorities in the state. This act also created the agency, An Forás Forbatha, to bring planning experts together. His department underwent a very large programme to provide piped water to rural homes. In 1965 Blaney introduced the Road Traffic Act which required that motorists take a driving test in road worthy cars. During his tenure it became possible to pay rates by installment and he also introduced legislation which entitled non-nationals to vote in local elections.
In 1966 Lemass resigned as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. The subsequent leadership election
Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1966
The 1966 Fianna Fáil leadership election in the Republic of Ireland began in October 1966 following the decision of Seán Lemass to resign as party leader and Taoiseach. Lemass had occupied both posts for over seven years and, while there was no pressure on him to resign, he felt that the time was...
saw George Colley
George Colley
George Colley was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Finance and Tánaiste. He was twice defeated for the leadership of Fianna Fáil in 1966 and 1979.-Early life:Colley was born in Fairview, on the northside of Dublin...
and Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
emerge as the two front-runners. Blaney was unimpressed with the choice and, with the support of the like-minded Kevin Boland
Kevin Boland
Kevin Boland , was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957 as a Fianna Fáil TD. He served as Minister for Defence , Minister for Social Welfare and Minister for Local Government...
, he threw his hat in the ring, declaring himself to be the "Radical Republican" candidate. However outside the Northwest and apart from Boland Blaney failed to attract much support. After some pressure from Lemass the Cork politician, Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
, entered the race and was deemed to be an unbeatable candidate. Haughey and Boland withdrew in support of Lynch, however, Colley forced a contest. He was defeated heavily with Lynch becoming party leader and Taoiseach. In the subsequent cabinet reshuffle Blaney was appointed Minster for Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Arms Crisis
In 1969, when conflict broke out in Northern IrelandNorthern 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...
, Blaney was one of the first to express extremely strong Irish republican views, views which contradicted the policy of the Irish Government, in support of Northern nationalists. Blaney was a native of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
and was affected by the outbreak of violence in parts of his home province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
. He was concerned about the plight of the Republican majority in West Tyrone
West Tyrone
West Tyrone can refer to:*The western part of County Tyrone*West Tyrone *West Tyrone *West Tyrone...
and the City of Derry, areas that bordered his constituency in West Ulster. From around late 1968 onwards, Blaney formed and presided over an unofficial Nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
group in Leinster House
Leinster House
Leinster House is the name of the building housing the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland.Leinster House was originally the ducal palace of the Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it is a complex of buildings, of which the former ducal palace is the core, which house Oireachtas Éireann, its...
popularly known as 'the Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
Table', so named because this group of politicians used to meet at a certain table in either the Dáil Bar or the Dáil Restaurant. The group was dominated by Blaney up until his death. He had also been one of a four-member Cabinet sub-committee set up to decide on government policy to Northern Ireland together with Haughey, Pádraig Faulkner
Pádraig Faulkner
Pádraig Faulkner is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected in 1957 as a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency, serving until 1987...
and Joseph Brennan. A fund of £100,000 was set up to give to the nationalist people in the form of aid. However, those involved have denied that the government supported the importation of arms.
There was general surprise when, in an incident known as the Arms Crisis
Arms Crisis
The Arms Crisis or Arms Trial was a political scandal in the Republic of Ireland in 1970, when two cabinet ministers — Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney — were sacked for allegedly attempting to illegally import arms for the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland.-Background:The...
, Blaney, along with Haughey, was sacked from Lynch's cabinet amid allegations of the use of the funds to import arms for use by the IRA
Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
. Opposition leader Liam Cosgrave
Liam Cosgrave
Liam Cosgrave is an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach and as Leader of Fine Gael . He was a Teachta Dála from 1943 to 1981....
was informed by the Garda that a plot to import arms existed and included government members. Cosgrave told Lynch he knew of the plot and would announce it in the Dáil next day if he didn't act. Lynch requested Haughey and Blaney submit their resignations to the President. Both men refused, saying they did nothing illegal. Lynch then asked the President to terminate their appointments as members of the government. Boland resigned in sympathy, while Micheál Ó Móráin
Micheál Ó Móráin
Micheál Ó Móráin was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet minister from 1957 until 1970, most notably as Minister for Justice and Minister for the Gaeltacht....
was dismissed one day earlier in a preemptive strike to ensure a subservient Minister for Justice was in place when the crisis broke. Lynch chose government chief whip Desmond O'Malley for the role. Haughey and Blaney were subsequently tried in court along with an army Officer, Captain James Kelly, and Albert Luykx
Albert Luykx
Albert Luykx was a Flemish businessman and former Nazi. He was born in the Flemish Region region in Belgium to a family of furniture makers. Following the invasion of Belgium, the Luykx family, like most furniture makers during the Nazi occupation, made barracks for the occupying forces. Soon...
, a Belgian businessman who allegedly used his contacts to buy the arms. After trial all the accused were acquitted but many refused to recognise the verdict of the courts. Although cleared of wrong-doing, Blaney's ministerial career was brought to an end.
Lynch subsequently moved against Blaney so as to isolate him in the party. He was defeated by George Colley
George Colley
George Colley was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Finance and Tánaiste. He was twice defeated for the leadership of Fianna Fáil in 1966 and 1979.-Early life:Colley was born in Fairview, on the northside of Dublin...
in a vote for the position of Joint Honorary Treasurer at the 1971 Ard Fheis
Ard Fheis
Ardfheis or Ard Fheis is the name used by many Irish political parties for their annual party conference. The term was first used by Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language cultural organisation, for its annual convention....
, while his constituency colleague, Liam Cunningham
Liam Cunningham (Irish politician)
Liam Cunningham was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was born in County Donegal in 1915. A qualified national school teacher, Cunningham was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1951 general election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Donegal East constituency...
, had been appointed a Parliamentary Secretary in the cabinet reshuffle. In the Dáil Blaney abstained on a no-confidence motion on the worthiness of cabinet minister Jim Gibbons
Jim Gibbons (Irish politician)
James "Jim" Gibbons was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected in 1957 as a Teachta Dála for Carlow–Kilkenny. He held his seat until 1982...
for office, sponsored by the opposition. Paudge Brennan
Paudge Brennan
"Paudge" Brennan was an Irish Fianna Fáil Party politician who sat for 25 years as a TD for Wicklow, was briefly a Senator....
and Desmond Foley
Desmond Foley
Desmond 'Des' Foley was an Irish sports star in the 1960s, specialising in the Gaelic games of Gaelic football and hurling. He was also an Irish parliamentarian and represented Fianna Fáil in Dáil Éireann....
acted similarly and, while the government survived, they were all expelled from the parliamentary party. When Blaney and his supporters tried to organise the party’s national collection independently Lynch acted and in 1972 Blaney was expelled from the Fianna Fáil party for 'conduct unbecoming'.
Independent Fianna Fáil
Following his expulsion from Fianna Fáil, Kevin Boland tried to persuade Blaney to join the Aontacht ÉireannAontacht Éireann
Aontacht Éireann was an Irish political party founded by Kevin Boland, a former Fianna Fáil government minister and advocate of Irish republicanism...
party he was creating but Blaney declined. Instead, he contested all subsequent elections for Independent Fianna Fáil
Independent Fianna Fáil
Independent Fianna Fáil was a splinter republican party created by Neil Blaney after his expulsion from Fianna Fáil following the Irish Arms Crisis . It ceased to exist on 26 July 2006...
– The Republican Party, an organisation that he built up, chiefly in the County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
constituencies from disaffected members of the Fianna Fáil party who remained loyal to him along with a large number of Republicans. Throughout the 1970s there were frequent calls for his re-admittance to Fianna Fáil but the most vocal opponents of this move were Fianna Fáil delegates from Donegal.
In the 1979 European elections
European Parliament election, 1979 (Ireland)
The 1979 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1979 European Parliament election. These were the first direct elections to the European Parliament...
Blaney topped the poll in the Connacht–Ulster constituency to the annoyance of Fianna Fáil. He sat in the Technical Group of Independents
Technical Group of Independents
Technical Groups of Independents may refer to two political groups of the European Parliament:*Technical Group of Independents *Technical Group of Independents...
and served as chair of the group along with the Italian Radical Marco Pannella
Marco Pannella
Giacinto Pannella, better known as Marco Pannella is an Italian politician.He is the historic leader of the Italian Radicals...
and Danish left-wing Eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Bonde
Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
. He narrowly lost the seat in the 1984 election
European Parliament election, 1984 (Ireland)
The 1984 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1984 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
but was returned to serve as an MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
in 1989 election
European Parliament election, 1989 (Ireland)
The 1989 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1989 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
where he sat with the regionalist Rainbow Group
Rainbow Group (1989–1994)
The Rainbow Group in the European Parliament was a regionalist political group with representation in the European Parliament between 1989 and 1994.-History:In 1989 the previous Rainbow Group split...
He also canvassed for IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
r Bobby Sands
Bobby Sands
Robert Gerard "Bobby" Sands was an Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike while imprisoned in HM Prison Maze....
in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, in which Sands was elected to Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
Blaney held his Dáil seat until his death from cancer at the age of 73 on 8 November 1995 in Dublin.
In the resulting by-election on 2 April 1996, the Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
candidate reclaimed the seat. However, Blaney's brother, Harry Blaney
Harry Blaney
Harry Blaney is a retired Irish Independent Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the constituency of Donegal North East. He is a son of Neal Blaney, who was a TD from 1927 to 1948....
, was elected as an Independent Fianna Fáil TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
in the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. He was replaced by his son, Niall Blaney
Niall Blaney
Niall Blaney is a former Irish politician. A member of Independent Fianna Fáil until he joined Fianna Fáil in 2006, he served as a Teachta Dála for Donegal North East from 2002 to 2011....
, who was elected in the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
.
But in July 2006 Niall rejoined Fianna Fáil. This was opposed by other members of the Blaney family, including all seven children of Neil Blaney and his widow Eva who issued a damning press release prior to Niall Blaney's decision castigating the Fianna Fáil party and disassociating themselves from any so called 'truce' with them.
External links
- Neil Blaney's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)