Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland) facts for kids

The Nationalist Party (Irish: An Páirtí Náisiúnach) was a political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1918. This party was a continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP). It was created after Ireland was divided into two parts. The members of the IPP who lived in Northern Ireland formed this new party. The party stopped existing in 1977. It then joined with another group to form the Irish Independence Party.

A Look at the Nationalist Party's History

How the Party Worked

For a long time, the Nationalist Party wasn't one big group. It was more like many small groups. Each group worked in its own local area. They chose their own candidates for elections. This changed in 1966. A single, larger organization was then set up for all of Northern Ireland.

Joining Parliament and Protests

The Nationalist Party won six seats in the 1921 election. But they did not join the first House of Commons of Northern Ireland. Their leader, Joe Devlin, joined in 1925. Other members slowly followed by 1927. Sometimes, the party chose not to attend Parliament. This was called abstention. They did this to protest against the "illegal" division of Ireland. In 1965, they agreed to become the official opposition party. This meant they would challenge the government.

Role in Civil Rights

Becoming the official opposition was a big step. It helped start the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. The party took part in a civil rights march in Derry in October 1968. This march ended in violence. There were claims of police using too much force. Because of this, the party stopped being the official opposition. This happened on October 15, 1968.

Changes and Mergers

The party was known for being a bit disorganized. It was often seen as a collection of local politicians. Many people wanted the party to become more organized. But it started to fall apart in the late 1960s. Some members left to form the National Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP later joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in 1970. Many other Nationalist Party members also joined the SDLP.

One of the last elections for the Nationalist Party was in 1973. This was for the Assembly created by the Sunningdale Agreement. They did not do well in this election. This showed the party was coming to an end. A few councillors were elected in local councils in 1973 and 1977. In October 1977, the party officially merged. It joined with a group called Unity. Together, they formed the Irish Independence Party. This new party also included some republicans. The Irish Independence Party was successful for a while. But it became less important when Sinn Féin grew stronger in the 1980s.

Leaders of the Party

Here are the people who led the Nationalist Party over the years:

• Joseph Devlin (1918–1934)
• Thomas Joseph Campbell (1934–1945)
• James McSparran (1945–1958)
• Joseph Francis Stewart (1958–1964)
• Eddie McAteer (1964–1969)
• Roderick O'Connor (1969–1972)

After the Stormont Parliament was closed, Eddie McAteer was still a key leader. His son, Fergus McAteer, also became more important in the party.

See also

• List of Nationalist Party MPs (Ireland)