Farmers' Party (Ireland)

The Farmers' Party or Farmers' Union was a political party in the Irish Free State between 1922 and 1932. It was concerned almost exclusively with the interests of the agricultural community and never sought to widen its scope.

During the 1920s the party leadership favoured a merger with the governing party, Cumann na nGaedhael, hoping to make the largest party in the State predominantly agricultural. Others called for an alliance with the National League, with both parties receiving equal status. After much debate, it was decided that the party would remain independent, but generally support the government.

After 1927 the party found itself on the brink of extinction. It had been unable to win over the vote of the small farmer, which went to Fianna Fáil, and found its policies too close to those of Cumann na nGaedhael, which won over the vote of the large farmers. After the 1932 general election, all three sitting Farmers' Party TDs joined the newly-formed National Centre Party and contested the 1933 election under that banner. A new agricultural party, Clann na Talmhan, was launched in 1938.

At present there is no official agrarian party in Ireland, however they lend a good deal of support to Fianna Fáil.

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