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Full Description
Civil War politics has defined the Irish political landscape for
generations. The parties which emerged from the divisions over the Anglo-Irish
Treaty of 1921 dominated elections for decades. The war cast a long shadow over
party politics and elections in subsequent years.
In Kerry, the Civil War was more divisive, violent and
protracted than in any other county. Political discourse and electioneering in
Kerry were infused with the divisions and hatreds which the war had created.
Elections brought underlying tensions to the surface and were often occasions
of violence fuelled by fiery rhetoric from election platforms.
From Bullets to Ballots offers unique insights into the origins and
characteristics of Civil War politics in Ireland with particular focus on
Kerry. It is an in-depth examination of how politics developed in this
constituency in the decade after 1923. It reveals that, despite the underlying
tensions and a profound legacy of suffering and loss, democracy endured and the
ballot prevailed over the bullet as a means of settling political differences.
The results of
elections for the Civil War parties, as well as other parties who were not
defined by the Treaty split, are considered in detail and highlight significant
deviations from national results. Key influences on electoral behaviour are
considered, including the extent of party organisation, the role of party
members, the dynamics of election campaigns, how the memory of the Civil War
was used to persuade voters, and the crucial role of newspapers and their
coverage of elections.
Owen O'Shea forensically
investigates Kerry's Civil War politics by presenting the lived experience of
elections for the party member, the candidate, and the voter; how parties
organised and campaigned; and what influenced the choice of voters at the
polls. Thus, From Bullets to Ballots provides the first ever examination
of politics at the constituency level in this divisive and decisive period in Irish
history.
